Photocatalytic doping of organic semiconductors

Chemical doping is an important approach to manipulating charge-carrier concentration and transport in organic semiconductors (OSCs) and ultimately enhances device performance. However, conventional doping strategies often rely on highly reactive dopants that are consumed during the process. Achieving efficient doping with weak and/or widely accessible dopants under mild conditions remains a considerable challenge. Here, we report a previously undescribed concept for the photocatalytic doping of OSCs that uses air as a weak oxidant (p-dopant) and operates at room temperature. This general approach applies to various OSCs and photocatalysts, yielding electrical conductivities exceeding 3,000 S cm−1. We also demonstrate photocatalytic reduction (n-doping) and simultaneous p- and n-doping of OSCs in which the organic salt used to maintain charge neutrality is the only chemical consumed. This photocatalytic doping method offers great potential for advancing OSC doping and developing next-generation organic electronic devices.

Wenlong Jin, Chi-Yuan Yang, Riccardo Pau, Qingqing Wang, Eelco K. Tekelenburg, Han-Yan Wu, Ziang Wu, Sang Young Jeong, Federico Pitzalis, Tiefeng Liu, Qiao He, Qifan Li, Jun-Da Huang, Renee Kroon, Martin Heeney, Han Young Woo, Andrea Mura, Alessandro Motta, Antonio Facchetti, Mats Fahlman, Maria Antonietta Loi, Simone Fabiano