Tunable Charge Injection Layers

The novel single molecular layer can boost the efficiency of organic semiconductor devices.

The ability to make good electrical contact between an organic semiconductor and a metal electrode is recently becoming the main issue that hinders the performance of organic semiconductor-based devices. To improve the transport of electrons through the interface, a so-called charge injection layer can be inserted between both materials. The efficiency of this interlayer depends on its ability to precisely align the energetic levels for transport charge in an organic semiconductor and a metal. Our work presents a novel concept of single molecular charge injection layers based on tunable deprotonation of aromatic carboxylic molecules. If the molecular layer is heated up, the deprotonation process generates electric dipoles at the interface and smoothly modulates energy level positions in organic layers. This approach would achieve energy level alignment similar to tuning the tone on a guitar string. Considering the number of organic devices worldwide, even small improvements in their efficiency would have a significant impact on the market. Utilization of these layers in the next generation could also significantly decrease energy wastage and increase battery lifetimes. Read more here.

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