Guided self-assembly of organic semiconductors

有机半导体已经在许多领域留下了自己的印记，如有机光伏(OPV)、有机发光二极管(OLED)和有机场效应晶体管(OFET)。此外，尽管性能稳步提高，但控制有机半导体的结晶行为仍然具有挑战性。该项目专注于合成具有永久偶极矩的有机半导体，并随后使用蒸汽引导沉积来控制其结晶。这种新的沉积方法鼓励软物质自组装以获得对材料图案化、对准和分辨率的控制。我们的方法将使研究有机半导体在非平衡条件下的结晶动力学成为可能。我们还将能够使用一种环保的非接触式方法来控制分子的排列，以启动结晶和对有机半导体进行图案设计。除了在塑料电子中的大量应用，作为该项目的一部分进行的研究非常符合EPSRC能源应用新材料的范围，同时为聚合物材料的加工和相关的流体动力学提供了新的见解。

Organic semiconductors have left their mark on numerous applications, such as organic photovoltaics (OPV), organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) and organic field-effect transistors (OFET). Moreover, despite steady performance increases, controlling the crystallisation behaviour of organic semiconductors remains challenging. This project focusses on the synthesis of organic semiconductors with permanent dipole moments and to subsequently control their crystallisation using a vapour-guided deposition. This novel deposition method encourages soft matter self-assembly to gain control over material patterning, alignment and resolution. Our approach will make it possible to study the crystallisation dynamics of organic semiconductors under non-equilibrium conditions. We will also be able to control the molecule alignment using an environmentally benign, contactless method to initiate crystallisation and pattern the organic semiconductors. Besides the numerous applications in plastic electronics, the research conducted as part of this project fits well within the EPSRC remit of new materials for energy applications, while at the same time providing new insights into the processing of polymer materials, and the related fluid dynamics.