Controlling Structure and Properties of Vapor-Deposited Glasses of Organic Semiconductors: Recent Advances and Challenges

Abstract

The last decade has seen great progress in manipulating the structure of vapor-deposited glasses of organic semiconductors. By varying the substrate temperature during deposition, glasses with a wide range of density and molecular orientation can be prepared from a given molecule. We review recent studies that show the structure of vapor-deposited glasses can be tuned to significantly improve the external quantum efficiency and lifetime of OLEDs (organic light emitting diodes). We highlight the ability of molecular simulations to reproduce experimentally observed structures, setting the stage for in-silico design of vapor-deposited glasses in the coming decade. Finally, we identify research opportunities for improving the properties of organic semiconductors by controlling the structure of vapor-deposited glasses.