A new class of organic nanostructures that can be dissolved in liquid and coated onto surfaces aims to replace the metal components currently used to control light in electronic devices. Today’s organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and photodetectors often rely on metal-based plasmonic nanostructures to manipulate light at the nanoscale. These metals suffer from two problems: they absorb too much light, wasting energy, and they require multiple complex fabrication steps. This project will test whether organic, solution-processable nanostructures can do the same job with lower optical losses and simpler manufacturing. If the approach works, it could transform how organic optoelectronic devices are built. OLED displays might become more energy-efficient, and organic photodetectors could be cheaper and easier to produce. The research is fundamental—it explores whether a new class of photonic materials is viable—but the long-term payoff includes more sustainable manufacturing and new communication technologies for smart infrastructure. The project also builds a research bridge between the UK, Japan, and South Korea in organic semiconductor technologies, creating future business and collaboration opportunities.
View original technical description
Generation, control and detection of light play a critical role in optoelectronics, which implicitly require interactions of light with materials. Over the past decades, outstanding progress has been made to control and engineer the optical properties of sub-wavelength photonic nanostructured materials, which has unlocked new opportunities to manipulate light at the nanoscale and tune light-matter interactions. For instance, there is currently a growing interest in the organic electronic community for the applications of plasmonic nanostructures to control/improve key photophysical processes, enhance the light outcoupling efficiency and boost the overall performance of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). However, some of the applications of plasmonics and metamaterials are still limited by their large optical losses and their multiple-step fabrication/nanostructuring methods. In this context, this joint collaborative project with Kyushu University, RIKEN and Ajou University will explore the potential of a novel class of organic solution-processable sub-wavelength nanostructures to control the electro-optical properties of organic electronic devices such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic photodetectors. The successful outcome of this project will then serve as a basis to establish a novel platform of organic low-loss photonic materials that can transform the field of organic optoelectronics. In the frame of this EPSRC oversea travel grant, the involved collaboration between Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering and Physics delivers the necessary world-leading expertise and skills to generate new research directions in organic optoelectronic materials and devices, whilst creating a new bridge between the UK, Japan and South Korea in the important field of organic semiconductor technologies. This international joint collaborative project will in the longer term produce new research and business opportunities by contributing to the development of innovative organic electronic technologies. In addition to the potential future societal and economic benefits for the three involved countries, this research will greatly support our global efforts to develop new communication and sustainable infrastructures for future smart societies.
Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.
Is something wrong? Let us know