Organic transistors and phototransistors based on small molecules

Significant advances have been made recently in the area of organic electronics and optoelectronics based on small molecules as a result of the synthesis of new soluble and air-stable molecules. First reported 20 years ago, organic transistors quickly became a focus of intense research and development in academic and industrial laboratories. The great progress achieved thus far offers an opportunity for the production of new small electro-active molecules and the implementation of low-cost device fabrication technologies. This review focuses on recently synthesized p- or n-type organic semiconductors, particularly those suitable for fabrication of solution-processed and/or air-stable field effect transistors with an emphasis on low-cost wet processes. The numerous recent efforts realized in optoelectronics, particularly on phototransistors based on small molecules, offer various opportunities in applications for such organic compounds. Copyright (C) 2011 Society of Chemical Industry