Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 29, 2026

Optical Control of Living Cells Electrical Activity by Conjugated Polymers
Published on: January 28, 2016
Integrated optoelectronic devices based on conjugated polymers
1Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK.
Abstract:
An all-polymer semiconductor integrated device is demonstrated with a high-mobility conjugated polymer field-effect transistor (FET) driving a polymer light-emitting diode (LED) of similar size. The FET uses regioregular poly(hexylthiophene). Its performance approaches that of inorganic amorphous silicon FETs, with field-effect mobilities of 0.05 to 0.1 square centimeters per volt second and ON-OFF current ratios of >10(6). The high mobility is attributed to the formation of extended polaron states as a result of local self-organization, in contrast to the variable-range hopping of self-localized polarons found in more disordered polymers. The FET-LED device represents a step toward all-polymer optoelectronic integrated circuits such as active-matrix polymer LED displays.
Related Concept Videos
Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
UV–Vis Spectroscopy of Conjugated Systems
One of the factors influencing λmax is the extent of conjugation in the...
Polymers
Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview

