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Organic Semiconductive Polymers for Field Effect Transistors, Solar Cells and Light-Emitting Diodes

IP Title

Germole Containing Conjugated Molecules and Polymers

Detailed Technology Description

None

Application Date

Aug 27, 2013

Application No.

9,006,376

Others

*Abstract

Lowers Manufacturing Costs While Enhancing Performance and Reliability

These semiconductive polymers can be used in solar cells, field effect transistors and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to lower production costs and improve performance. While efficient, inorganic solar panels made from silicon crystals are expensive to manufacture. Organic solar panels are becoming increasingly popular since their production is less costly. The rapidly growing organic photovoltaics market, worth $4.6 million globally in 2012, is expected to grow to $630 million by 2022. However, available organic solar panels are less efficient than inorganic panels. Organic polymers that incorporate dithienosilole (DTS) have shown exceptional promise for these applications. By replacing silicon with germanium in dithienosilole, researchers at the University of Florida have designed improved polymers that give excellent power conversion efficiency in solar cells. The polymers offer high performance, high stability and low cost, and can be used to make efficient, inexpensive organic solar cells, field effect transistors and light-emitting diodes.

Application

Organic germanium-containing polymers that can be used to make efficient, low-cost solar cells, high-performance field effect transistors and light-emitting diodes (LEDs)

Advantages

• Improves upon the stability of available organic semiconductors, lowering replacement costs and lengthening product life
• Eliminates the need for expensive silicon used in conventional solar cells, lowering production costs
• Achieves higher efficiency than available organic solar cells and field effect transistors, making the product attractive for the electronics and photovoltaics markets
• Can be produced using roll-to-roll processes, providing high throughput and lowering manufacturing costs

Technology

Polymers that incorporate dithienosilole (DTS), an organic molecule containing silicon, are promising materials for high-performance solar cells, field effect transistors and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). University of Florida researchers have developed a compound called dithienogermole (DTG) that replaces the silicon in DTS with germanium. The unique properties of DTG increase the semiconductor's charge mobility when incorporated into copolymers, which translates into higher performance when incorporated into field effect transistors, organic solar panels and light-emitting diodes.

Related to technologies 13013, 13189

*IP Issue Date

Apr 14, 2015

*IP Publication Date

Dec 19, 2013

*Principal Investigator

Name: John Reynolds

Department:

Name: Chad Amb

Department:

Name: Franky So

Department:

Country/Region

USA