Synergistic Alignment of Low Aspect‐Ratio π‐Conjugated Molecules Enables Exceptional UV–vis–NIR Polarization Detection

Abstract Polarization detection enhances signal contrast and is widely utilized in diverse advanced applications. An ongoing challenge is the development of high‐performance polarization‐sensitive photodetectors based on optically anisotropic organic semiconductors, particularly in the near‐infrared (NIR) region. While uniaxially aligned π‐conjugated polymers with high aspect ratios exhibit strong linear dichroism and have shown promise, their limited NIR performance and heavy reliance on polymer material now represent critical limitations. Here, a breakthrough is reported in achieving giant linear dichroism and exceptional polarization detection with low aspect‐ratios (AR) non‐fullerene small‐molecule (NFSM) acceptors, extending polarization sensitivity from the UV–vis to the NIR range. An impressive dichroic ratio of 27.1 at 605 nm and 12.0 at 780 nm is demonstrated. The maximum polarization photocurrent ratio is 11.2 at 780 nm under parallel versus perpendicular polarized light. This unprecedented performance originates from synergistic molecular alignment, wherein NFSMs significantly enhance the uniaxial orientation of both the polymer matrix and the NFSMs themselves during self‐assembly and thermal annealing. Besides, such a linear‐polarization‐sensitive photodetectors (LPS‐PDs) are showcased in generating degree‐of‐linear‐polarization imaging. The work establishes NFSMs as a viable material system for next‐generation of organic LPS‐PDs and provides fundamental insights into structural origins of polarization sensitivity in low AR organic semiconductors.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Laser & Photonics Review
Published
2025-08-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/lpor.202500938
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Organic Electronics and Photovoltaics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.73

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Synergistic Alignment of Low Aspect‐Ratio π‐Conjugated Molecules Enables Exceptional UV–vis–NIR Polarization Detection

Qi Zhu, Wanzhu Cai, Lei Ying, Jingang Zhong et al.
1 citations
Laser & Photonics Review
Organic Electronics and Photovoltaics
0.73
article

Synergistic Alignment of Low Aspect‐Ratio π‐Conjugated Molecules Enables Exceptional UV–vis–NIR Polarization Detection

Qi Zhu, Wanzhu Cai, Lei Ying, Jingang Zhong, Wenkai Zhong, Qiong Zuo, Zibang Zhang, Xianjie Liu, Yingying Xue, Yukun Li, Rui Zhang, Cheng Wang, Zhiyuan Yang, Zilin Deng
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Abstract Polarization detection enhances signal contrast and is widely utilized in diverse advanced applications. An ongoing challenge is the development of high‐performance polarization‐sensitive photodetectors based on optically anisotropic organic semiconductors, particularly in the near‐infrared (NIR) region. While uniaxially aligned π‐conjugated polymers with high aspect ratios exhibit strong linear dichroism and have shown promise, their limited NIR performance and heavy reliance on polymer material now represent critical limitations. Here, a breakthrough is reported in achieving giant linear dichroism and exceptional polarization detection with low aspect‐ratios (AR) non‐fullerene small‐molecule (NFSM) acceptors, extending polarization sensitivity from the UV–vis to the NIR range. An impressive dichroic ratio of 27.1 at 605 nm and 12.0 at 780 nm is demonstrated. The maximum polarization photocurrent ratio is 11.2 at 780 nm under parallel versus perpendicular polarized light. This unprecedented performance originates from synergistic molecular alignment, wherein NFSMs significantly enhance the uniaxial orientation of both the polymer matrix and the NFSMs themselves during self‐assembly and thermal annealing. Besides, such a linear‐polarization‐sensitive photodetectors (LPS‐PDs) are showcased in generating degree‐of‐linear‐polarization imaging. The work establishes NFSMs as a viable material system for next‐generation of organic LPS‐PDs and provides fundamental insights into structural origins of polarization sensitivity in low AR organic semiconductors.

Laser & Photonics ReviewVol. 20(1)
Linköping University (SE), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (US), Jinan University (CN), Integrated Optoelectronics (Norway) (NO), South China University of Technology (CN)
U.S. Department of Energy, National Natural Science Foundation of China, South China University of Technology, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Office of Science, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province
Openalex Percentile: Top 25%
Organic Electronics and Photovoltaics
0.73
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.