Pushing the boundaries of flexible electronics with organic semiconductors
PhD researcher Zhongquan Chen developed new methods to understand charge movement in flexible organic semiconductors for next-generation electronics.
Organic semiconductors are crucial in flexible electronics such as bendable screens and wearable devices. These materials are made of interacting molecules, and how electric charges move through them determines device performance. Studying this movement is challenging because it occurs at a tiny quantum level within a complex, disordered system. Traditional methods often examine small parts, missing the behavior of the whole system.
PhD researcher Zhongquan Chen developed a new approach that considers the entire molecular network. By treating charge movement as a random walk through this network, his method improves understanding and prediction of charge flow, aiding the design of more efficient flexible electronics. He defended his thesis on Tuesday, July 8.
The challenge
The ability of electric charges to flow smoothly, which is known as charge mobility, directly affects how well devices like OLED screens, organic solar cells, and flexible transistors work. However, improving charge mobility is difficult given that there are many factors that can influence its response.
Experiments can be costly and complicated so scientists use computer simulations based on quantum mechanics to predict charge movement.
These simulations however often struggle to scale up from small molecules to full devices and to provide trustworthy results.
A new approach to study charge movement
realized that to truly understand how charges move it was not enough to look at individual molecules one by one.
Instead, he imagined charge movement as a random walk, just like a pedestrian moving step by step through a complex network of streets where each street represents a path between molecules.
This perspective allowed him to build a new method that maps out all the possible routes charges could take in a structure. Using this method, Chen could predict how easily charges flow through large entangled molecular systems.
He also found a way to measure how confident one can be about predictions which in turn helps engineers trust the results.
In addition, his approach can spot trap molecules, which are like roadblocks that can slow down or stop the charge travelers, thus helping researchers to know exactly where problems could occur.
This fresh way of looking at the problem is both faster and more accurate than older techniques making it a powerful tool for designing the flexible electronics of the future.
Making flexible electronics more reliable and efficient
By examining the entire molecular network and how its components interact, Chen鈥檚 research offered a more complete and accurate way to understand charge movement in flexible organic semiconductors.
His method can identify problem areas and improve predictions, leading to better device design and more efficient, reliable electronics.
PhD researcher Zhongquan Chen
Broader impact
By improving our understanding of how electricity flows through complex molecular systems, Chen鈥檚 research can help make flexible electronic devices more efficient reliable and affordable.
This lays the groundwork for innovations in wearable technology, flexible displays, and energy harvesting materials. All of this would bring cutting edge electronics closer to everyday use
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Supervisors
Bj枚rn Baumeier, Pim van der Hoorn
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