Molecular Gridization of Organic Semiconducting π Backbones

Abstract

Organic π-conjugated molecules and polymers have emerged as some of the most promising candidates of semiconductors for future information, intelligent technology, and smart manufacturing because of their unique properties such as structural diversity, flexibility, stretchability, ultrathinness, light weight, low-cost and large-area fabrication procedures, and excellent biocompatibility. However, several severe challenges remain, including inferior optical and electronic properties compared to inorganic materials, poor stability and lifespan, low yields in solution processing patterning techniques, inadequate mechanical endurance, and difficulties in multifunctionalization. Particularly, there are still no big breakthroughs in terms of the common and long-term challenges, such as flexible organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with printing procedures that could not be achieved at the calibration of commercialization, electrically pumped lasers that become the open global question, and organic integrated circuits and brain-like computing technologies at the conceptual stage. The nanosization of the molecular π systems is one crucial way to address the dilemmas that stem from the molecular limitation of organic semiconductors. Covalent nanoscale strategies of organic semiconducting π backbones enable not only effective suppression of phonon behavior, thereby significantly improving their charge transport capacity and exciton efficiency, but also facilitate functional integration for intelligent semiconductors.