HELiOS - High Efficiency LIght-emitters with Organic Spintronics

Organic semiconductors (OS) are organic materials with semiconductor properties. They are expected to change the electronics as we conceive it at the moment. OS allow producing flexible, large-area and low-cost devices and they are currently used in displays in mobile phones, MP3 players, digital cameras, radios, etc.

Spintronics (“spin-based electronics”) is a new electronics paradigm that deals with the use of the spin of the electrons to produce devices and is expected to provide major breakthroughs in electronics. OS are particularly interesting for spintronics due to the long spin lifetimes theoretically predicted and recently experimentally measured. Only a little is known about the charge transport and even less about spin transport in these materials. Basic properties such as the spin coherence length and time still remain unknown in most of the OS. Research to understand the physical effects involved in OS spintronics is imperative in order to achieve commercially viable devices.

The aim of this project is to investigate the intrinsic spin transport properties in OS and to take advantage of it to improve power consumption in light emission devices.We will investigate how the molecular order, charge conductivity and spin transport properties are correlated, and how these properties affect the light emission efficiency in order to reduce power in light emitting devices.

We will use pentacene among other reasons because it shows polymorphic nature.

The outgoing host is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – MIT (USA), one of the world references in spintronics. The applicant will learn the most advanced technology in the fabrication and characterization. It will allow him to reintegrate at NanoGune (Spain) in a mature and independent position. Besides increasing his employment opportunities in university or industry, this award will contribute to further development of this area of research and related industry in Europe.