Molecular Optoelectronics

Mineral and compound semiconductors form the basis for most of the electronic and optoelectronic devices currently on the market. Their properties derive from the electronic band structure of highly crystalline materials. Recently, organic molecular and polymeric materials in optoelectronic applications are beginning to emerge in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDS), polymer photovoltaics and polymer electro-optic switches. The physics underlying these devices is quite different than in traditional semiconductors and relies on the electronic structure of highly conjugated pi-electron organic compounds. In this presentation, I will describe the molecular and supramolecular physics responsible for electronic transport and nonlinear optics in the context of our work on studying the transport mechanisms and electronic properties of liquid crystalline semiconducting materials and nanostructures.