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Optical waveguide of organic micro/nanocrystals is one of crucial elements in miniaturized integrated photonics. One-dimensional (1D) organic crystals with various optical features have attracted increasing interests towards promising photonic devices, such as multichannel signal converter, organic field-effect optical waveguide, sensitive detector, and optical logic gate. Therefore, a summary about the 1D organic micro/nanocrystals based optical waveguide is important for the rational design and fabrication of novel optical devices towards optoelectronics applications. Herein, recent advances of optical waveguide based on 1D organic micro/nanocrystals with solid, flexible, hollow, uniformly doped, core-shell, multiblock and branched structures are summarized from the aspects of the waveguide properties and applications in photonic devices. Furthermore, we presented our personal view about the expectation of future development in 1D organic optical waveguide for the photonic applications. Graphical abstract

In recent years, to meet the greater demand for next generation electronic devices that are transplantable, lightweight and portable, flexible and large-scale integrated electronics attract much more attention have been of interest in both industry and academia. Organic electronics and stretchable inorganic electronics are the two major branches of flexible electronics. With the semiconductive and flexible properties of the organic semiconductor materials, flexible organic electronics have become a mainstay of our technology. Compared to organic electronics, stretchable and flexible inorganic electronics are fabricated via mechanical design with inorganic electronic components on flexible substrates, which have stretchability and flexibility to enable very large deformations without degradation of performance. This review summarizes the recent progress on fabrication strategies, such as hydrodynamic organic nanowire printing and inkjet-assisted nanotransfer printing of flexible organic electronics, and screen printing, soft lithography and transfer printing of flexible inorganic electronics. In addition, this review considers large-scale organic and inorganic flexible electronic systems and the future applications of flexible and stretchable electronics.

Highlights This review offers an overview of recent advancements in conjugated polymers (CPs), with a thorough discussion of their molecular engineering. Key electronic properties are put forth that complement traditional inorganic semiconductor devices. Key concepts and innovations in molecular engineering are discussed, highlighting advancements that improve device performance, with a particular focus on photovoltaics, organic field-effect transistors, and nonvolatile memory devices. The current challenges in fabricating CP-based devices are explored, along with anticipated future developments and growing market demand. Conjugated polymers (CPs) have emerged as an interesting class of materials in modern electronics and photonics, characterized by their unique delocalized π-electron systems that confer high flexibility, tunable electronic properties, and solution processability. These organic polymers present a compelling alternative to traditional inorganic semiconductors, offering the potential for a new generation of optoelectronic devices. This review explores the evolving role of CPs, exploring the molecular design strategies and innovative approaches that enhance their optoelectronic properties. We highlight notable progress toward developing faster, more efficient, and environmentally friendly devices by analyzing recent advancements in CP-based devices, including organic photovoltaics, field-effect transistors, and nonvolatile memories. The integration of CPs in flexible sustainable technologies underscores their potential to revolutionize future electronic and photonic systems. As ongoing research pushes the frontiers of molecular engineering and device architecture, CPs are poised to play an essential role in shaping next-generation technologies that prioritize performance, sustainability, and adaptability.

Tunable light–matter interactions are exhibited by organic low-dimensional crystals, making these crystals a promising platform for organic photonics. However, the precise synthesis of organic low-dimensional crystals remains challenging due to the stochastic nature of molecular nucleation processes. Herein, the directed nucleation process is driven by the introduction of metastable seed-crystals as the trunk, which ultimately leads to branched-array organic heterostructures. The successful formation of organic heterostructures with high-density branched arrays is attributed to the highest attachment energy ( E att (023) = −104.25 kcal mol −1 ) of the exposed (023) crystal plane during the seed-crystal growth route. Significantly, these as-prepared heterostructures inherently have an ultralow lattice mismatch ratio η of 0.7% between trunk and branch, which contributes to the multi-channel photon transportation. Therefore, this work provides valuable insights into a versatile synthetic strategy for accessing low-dimensional heterostructures for integrated optoelectronics.

Optical Tamm states (OTS) are confined optical modes that can occur at the interface between two highly reflective structures. However, due to the strong reflectance required, their implementation with highly processable and metal-free flexible materials has proven challenging. Herein, we develop the first structure supporting OTS based only on organic polymeric materials, demonstrating a photonic platform based on non-critical, widely available and easily processable materials. The structures fabricated present large areas and consist of a narrowband multi-layered polymeric distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) followed by a thin film of J-aggregate molecular excitonic material that can act as a highly reflective surface within a narrowband range. We take advantage of the narrowband spectral response of the DBR and of the reflective molecular layer to tune the OTS band by varying the periodicity of the multilayer, opening the door for the fabrication of OTS structures based on lightweight integrable excitonic devices with cost-effective procedures.

Photonic synapses have attracted increasing interest owing to their ultrafast signal transmission, high bandwidth, and low energy consumption. Dielectrics in organic photonic synaptic transistors (OPSTs) affect the photoinduced charge accumulated at the interface between the dielectrics and organic semiconductor (OSC) layer, modulating a synapse-like behavior. Herein, to investigate the effect of the interfacial properties of polymeric gate insulators on photosensitive synaptic characteristics, two types of polymers, i.e., poly(4-vinylphenol) and poly(styrene), were used as gate dielectrics of OPSTs. We discovered that the functional groups of the polymeric gate dielectrics that induce charge trapping primarily contribute to the synaptic properties of the OPSTs. This result was obtained by analyzing the morphological and physicochemical properties, including surface roughness, surface energy of the insulators, and grain size of the OSC layer on the dielectric layers. Further, the poly(4-vinylphenol)-based OPST with strong interfacial charge-trapping effect showed various synaptic characteristics, such as excitatory postsynaptic currents, paired-pulse facilitation, spike duration-dependent plasticity, spike number-dependent plasticity, and spike rate-dependent plasticity, according to the adjustment of various ultraviolet light information (i.e., exposure duration, number, and rate). In contrast, the poly(styrene)-based OPST did not show synaptic photoresponse. Furthermore, based on the potentiation/depression characteristics of the device, a recognition accuracy of 88% was achieved using handwritten digit recognition designed using datasets from the Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology. Therefore, this study reveals the understanding of the relation between the dielectric/OSC layer and photosensitive synaptic characteristics from the charge-trapping effect. It also provides a strategy for optimizing the photoresponsive synaptic characteristics of OPSTs.

This research shows that the morphological characteristics of the external microstructure of the beautiful skin of the Urosaurus ornatus lizard contribute to the explanation of the origin of their iridescent and thermal properties. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy studies revealed that the skin surface of the U. ornatus lizard is constituted by a semi-ordered array of hexagonal photonic crystals with sub-micrometric structural parameters. The iridescence properties of the ventral patch and dorsal surface of the U. ornatus lizard were numerically simulated modeling both surfaces by a set of coupled photonic crystals with structural parameters proposed from statistical measurements of the lattice parameter and holes diameter of its skin surface. The dorsal surface showed the ability to reflect visible light and at least in a significant range the ultraviolet and near infrared radiation. A complete photonic band gap for the transverse magnetic polarization mode of the incident light in both dorsal and ventral surfaces was predicted by calculations. The spectral reflectance and the structure of photonic bands obtained explain the reflection of the infrared radiation by the dorsal surface which might help to the thermoregulation of the lizard body. The results obtained suggest that the selective reflection of incident light performed by the photonic structural array defined on the skin surface of the U. ornatus has a significant contribution to its apparent color.

The development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as microporous electronic conductors is an exciting research frontier that has the potential to revolutionize a wide range of technologically and industrially relevant fields, from catalysis to solid-state sensing and energy-storage devices, among others. After nearly two decades of intense research on MOFs, examples of intrinsically conducting MOFs remain relatively scarce; however, enormous strides have recently been made. This article briefly reviews the current status of the field, with a focus on experimental milestones that have shed light on crucial structure–property relationships that underpin future progress. Central to our discussion are a series of design considerations, including redox-matching, donor–acceptor interactions, mixed valency, and π-interactions. Transformational opportunities exist at both fundamental and applied levels, from improved measurement techniques and theoretical understanding of conduction mechanisms to device engineering. Taken together, these developments will herald a new era in advanced functional materials.

The development of new hierarchical materials capable of efficient energy transfer along a predesigned pathway will boost various applications, ranging from organic photovoltaics to catalytic systems. Due to their exceptional tunability and structural diversity, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) offer a unique platform to study and model directional energy-transfer processes and, thereby, an efficient path for energy utilization. This article summarizes the latest advances in MOF applications in the fields of optoelectronics, photoswitching, sensing, and photocatalysis, for which development is highly dependent on fundamental studies of MOF photophysics.

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous ordered arrays of inorganic clusters connected by organic linkers. The compositional diversity of the metal and ligand, combined with varied connectivity, has yielded more than 20,000 unique structures. Electronic structure theory can provide deep insights into the fundamental chemistry and physics of these hybrid compounds and identify avenues for the design of new multifunctional materials. In this article, a number of recent advances in materials modeling of MOFs are reviewed. We present the methodology for predicting the absolute band energies (ionization potentials) of porous solids as compared to those of standard semiconductors and electrical contacts. We discuss means of controlling the optical bandgaps by chemical modification of the organic and inorganic building blocks. Finally, we outline the principles for achieving electroactive MOFs and the key challenges to be addressed.