Abstract

Semiconductors are materials that are characterized by resistivities intermediate between those of metals and of insulators. The study of organic semiconductors has grown from research on conductivity mechanisms and structure–property relationships in solids to include applications-based research on working semiconductor junction devices. Organic materials are now used in transistors, photochromic devices, and commercially viable light-emitting diodes, and the utility of organic semiconductors continues to increase.

The study of organic semiconductors and conductors is highly interdisciplinary, involving the fields of chemistry, solid state physics, engineering, and biology. This article provides a treatment of the theoretical aspects of organic semiconductors as well as an overview of recent advances in the field and the uses of these materials based on their conductive and optical properties.