Synergistic Alignment of Low Aspect-Ratio p-Conjugated Molecules Enables Exceptional UV-vis-NIR Polarization DetectionShow others and affiliations
2026 (English)In: Laser & Photonics reviews, ISSN 1863-8880, E-ISSN 1863-8899, Vol. 20, no 1, article id e00938Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
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 pi-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.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH , 2026. Vol. 20, no 1, article id e00938
Keywords [en]
non-fullerene small-molecule; optical anisotropy; polarization-sensitive photodetector; self-assembly; thermal annealing
National Category
Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-217226DOI: 10.1002/lpor.202500938ISI: 001547739300001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105012974443OAI: oai:DiVA.org:liu-217226DiVA, id: diva2:1994832
Note
Funding Agencies|Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [2023ZYGXZR097, 21624406]; State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices at South China University of Technology [Skllmd-2024-23]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [U24A20304]; U.S. DOE Office of Science User Facility [DE-AC02-05CH11231]; [2025A1515010028]; [2024A1515030006]; [2022B1515120008]; [2024A1515010309]
2025-09-032025-09-032026-05-19Bibliographically approved