Organic Photodiodes: The Future of Full Color Detection and Image Sensing

Major growth in the image sensor market is largely as a result of the expansion of digital imaging into cameras, whether stand-alone or integrated within smart cellular phones or automotive vehicles. Applications in biomedicine, education, environmental monitoring, optical communications, pharmaceutics and machine vision are also driving the development of imaging technologies. Organic photodiodes (OPDs) are now being investigated for existing imaging technologies, as their properties make them interesting candidates for these applications. OPDs offer cheaper processing methods, devices that are light, flexible and compatible with large (or small) areas, and the ability to tune the photophysical and optoelectronic properties - both at a material and device level. Although the concept of OPDs has been around for some time, it is only relatively recently that significant progress has been made, with their performance now reaching the point that they are beginning to rival their inorganic counterparts in a number of performance criteria including the linear dynamic range, detectivity, and color selectivity. This review covers the progress made in the OPD field, describing their development as well as the challenges and opportunities.

Synthesis and Photophysical Properties of Phosphole-Cored Dendrimers

Phosphole-cored dendrimers having poly(benzyl ether) units through the third generation have been synthesized. The dendrimers display intense blue photoluminescence, the quantum yield increasing with the increasing generation of the dendron units. The optical properties are easily tuned by oxidation of the phosphorus atom of the phosphole ring.