Transport Phenomena in Organic Optoelectronic Materials

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The field of organic optoelectronic materials is broadly concerned with developing and understanding polymeric and molecular films with useful electronic and/or optical properties. These properties are exploited in devices such as photovoltaic cells, transistors and light emitting diodes (now a commercial product). The continued success of this class of materials depends upon the development of new materials for existing applications and the discovery of entirely new applications. Both goals rely heavily on understanding the fundamental properties responsible for device function. Almost always, the properties of interest depend on transport processes that occur both within the film and at material interfaces. The long-term goal of my research program is to understand and control transport processes in organic optoelectronic materials. Approaching the problem from the perspective of physical chemistry and focusing on basic scientific questions is useful in establishing long-term impact and training highly qualified personnel. Research connecting transport phenomena to film structure (both molecular and morphological) will permanently inform the materials synthesis and device community on general strategies for creating high performing systems and train students to use physical insight to develop materials technology.  The research group will develop innovative experimental methods, often combining electrical and spectroscopic measurements. A benefit of this approach is to simultaneously leverage the quantitative aspects of electrical measurements with the qualitative, molecular-level details spectroscopy provides. A second experimental emphasis is the development of advanced sample preparation techniques; material function is strongly influenced by sample morphology. We will develop a novel deposition method using supercritical fluids, which are currently underutilized in organic optoelectronic materials research. Feedback between materials processing and property measurements allows the most promising directions to be identified and developed. The near-term objectives of this proposal are focused on the transport of charges, ions, and heat in organic optoelectronic materials. These objectives are: (1) Investigate ionic and electronic conductivity in electrolyte gated organic transistors using in-situ infrared spectroscopy, (2) Time resolve the thermoelectric effect in organic semi-metals with nonlinear optics and (3) Develop laser induced deposition from supercritical fluids to pattern ordered organic films. These projects were chosen to address basic scientific questions with long-term impact and to catalyze innovations critical to helping Canada to take a leadership role in this emerging technology.