Plastic electronics

École Polytechnique

About this Course

Plastic electronics is a concept that emerged forty years ago, with the discovery of electrically conductive polymers. Ten years later, the first electronic devices using organic solids in place of the ubiquitous inorganic semiconductors were realised. The best achievement of plastic electronics is constituted by Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) that equip the display of many smartphones, and even TV sets. The objective of this course is to provide a comprehensive overview of the physics of plastic electronic devices. After taking this course, the student should be able to demonstrate theoretical knowledge on the following subjects: Concept of organic semiconductors; Charge carrier transport in polymeric and organic semiconductors; Optical properties of organic semiconductors; Charge injection from metals to organic solids; Operating mode of the main plastic electronic devices: Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) and organic field-effect transistors (OFETs).

100% online course

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Intermediate Level

Approx. 11 hours to complete

Suggested: 3 hours/week

English

Subtitles: English

100% online course

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Intermediate Level

Approx. 11 hours to complete

Suggested: 3 hours/week

English

Subtitles: English

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

1

Section

1 hour to complete

Introduction to plastic electronics

This first module is an introduction to the concept of semiconductor, which is the primary consituent of all electronic decives. We also show how some organic compounds can behave as semiconductors....

2 videos (Total 24 min), 2 quizzes

2 videos

Introduction to plastic electronics13m

Organic semiconductors10m

2 practice exercises

Metals and semiconductors4m

Organic semiconductors4m

2

Section

1 hour to complete

Charge carrier transport in organic semiconductors

Electronic devives work through an electrical current generated by applying an electrical voltage. The process is controlled by charge carrier transport, descibed in this module....

3 videos (Total 26 min), 2 quizzes

3 videos

Charge transport7m

Localisation via polarisation8m

Localisation by disorder9m

2 practice exercises

Conductivity of metals2m

Localised charge carrier transport4m

3

Section

21 minutes to complete

Optical properties of organic semiconductors

Beside electrical properties, electronic devices also involve optical aspects, for example in light-emitting diodes and photovoltaic cells. This modulel describes the interactions of light with organic semiconductors. ...

2 videos (Total 21 min)

2 videos

Optical properties of organic semiconductors10m

Excitons10m

4

Section

1 hour to complete

Interfaces in plastic electronic devices

...

3 videos (Total 29 min), 1 quiz

3 videos

Energy levels12m

Charge carrier injection9m

5

Section

3 hours to complete

Plastic electronic devices

...

4 videos (Total 39 min), 2 quizzes

4 videos

Organic light-emitting diodes13m

Organic solar cell9m

Organic field-effect transistor9m

More on organic field-effect transistors7m

1 practice exercises

Designing an organic light-emitting diode16m

Instructor

Gilles Horowitz

Emeritus Research Fellow

About École Polytechnique

L’École polytechnique associe recherche, enseignement et innovation au meilleur niveau scientifique et technologique mondial pour répondre aux défis du XXIe siècle. En tête des écoles d’ingénieur françaises depuis plus de 200 ans, sa formation promeut une culture d’excellence scientifique pluridisciplinaire, ouverte dans une forte tradition humaniste. ...

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