This book is a collection of selected papers and book sections on recent developments and research on organic electronic devices. Most articles were published in the years 2015-2017. While organic semiconductors tend to lack somewhat behind their inorganic counterparts with respect to charge-carrier mobility, stability, and efficient operation, the prospect of low cost, large-scale production of flexible electronic devices continues to fuel increasing research. Organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) have already found commercial applications in modern large screen television/touch-screens, and they are now entering the market for lighting applications too. After a brief introduction of organic semiconductor devices with an overview of the selected papers by the editor, the chosen publications are organized into four thematic sections.Section 1 focuses on light-sensing devices. Organic compounds tend to absorb light much stronger than inorganic materials for a given wavelength range. The first paper reviews the development and known physical principles of organic solar energy harvesting devices. While solar cells are designed to convert sunlight into electric power, photodetectors only need to detect light. They can therefore use an external bias voltage to improve their light-sensing characteristics. This enables their use as spectrometer-on-a-chip that opens the door to many analytical/biological applications, which are discussed at the end of this section. Section 2 is dedicated to light-emitting device structures. The first part summarizes the process of light extraction and polarization, as well as improvements using interference effects due to regular nanoscale structuring (photonic structures). This is followed by measures to improve not only OLEDs, but also organic lasers, and the properties of organic light emitting field-effect transistors. Section 3, light-independent devices, is dedicated to device types that do not fit into any of the first two categories. This section includes true bulk", flexible, yet robust mixed ionic-electronic conductor paper, which may enable mass power storage a very sensitive ionic thermo-sensor (transistor), a simultaneous temperature/pressure sensor, and an ultrathin organic CMOS D-flip-flop circuit.Section 4 summarizes recent progress in organic device manufacturing techniques. Discussed topics include: the accurate alignment during high-throughput roll-to-roll printing, directional self-assembling of polymer chains, patterning of organic conductors on textiles, spray printing of organic semiconducting single crystals, solution printing of organic semiconductor blends that show transport properties on par with single crystals.
About the Author: Klaus obtained his PhD in science after working as research assistant at the University of Cambridge, UK. He published over 20 papers, gave presentations to large international science audiences, taught physics, and trained technical staff in a Silicon Valley solar energy start up. In Finland, a global leader in education, Klaus complemented his degrees with certificates in vocational teaching, instructional design, and eLearning. He regularly conducts workshops on learning at one of Finland's leading universities in teacher education and freelances as learning consultant, editor and instructional designer.