The general goal of the project is to observe and harness so called vibronic-coupling phenomena in organic electronic materials and devices.
Organic- and bio-electronics is currently a lively, rapidly evolving field aiming at molecular systems soon to become the key building blocks for optoelectronic, computing, and sensing devices. In contrast to the conventional electronics based on inorganic semiconductors, organic electronics exploits the electronic functionality of carbon-based macro molecules making the devices solution-processable, flexible, adjustable, and cost efficient. Elegant examples of organic electronic applications so far include OLED smartphone displays, as now provided by Samsung, and new applications such as flexible light panels, rollable solar cells, or the developments towards battery-free artificial retina. Due to the ‘soft’ character of organic materials, molecular conductivity fundamentally depends on the vibronic coupling phenomena which arise from the interaction between electronic and nuclei dynamics in molecular systems. It was recently shown that such phenomena play critical role in many fundamental processes in electronic and biological systems including photosynthesis, protein motions, and charge transfer in organic semiconductors. It becomes clear that the next generation of molecular materials for electronic and optoelectronic applications (like flexible LED and thin-film organic transistors) may reach new functionalities based on the vibronic phenomena. The prospective benefits include faster performance, lower weight or reduced energy consumption, and therefore are of general importance for industry and society. The overall objectives of the project focus around the development of new experimental approach which can directly address the previously unexplored vibronic effects and apply those effects to actual organic electronic devices. The obtained expertise will be used for improving functionality of organic electronic systems.
