Organic Electronics of Highly-Correlated Molecular Systems

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Starting in Japan and the UK in the 1960’s, research into organic semiconductors has matured into a major field, namely “organic electronics”, in which organic semiconductors have been utilized commercially for light emitting diodes, photovoltaics and transistors. This field has developed in parallel with the fundamental developments of organic metals, superconductors and magnets. However, a new expansion of this field is now longed for, which exploits novel functions of organic systems.

In this project, researchers in Japan, UK, Canada and Russia have been assigned roles in “material synthesis”, “fundamental characterization”, and “device application”. By making use of the characteristic features of organic materials, such as strong electron-lattice interactions, which are usually associated with insulating properties in such materials, we will develop novel device designs and operation principles for organic electronics which benefit from these features, rather than just tolerate them. At the same time, we will also examine the effective carrier injection to organic semiconductors and magnets through novel transistor and/or photocell designs, and develop novel molecular properties and functions. In essence, our goal is to realize a win-win situation for both molecular science and organic electronics, and in both fundamental and applied research.

Moreover, by collaborating with various talent-training and international programs driven from the Japan side, we also aim to train young researchers in molecular science and organic electronics, who also possess the ability to oversee and develop international cooperation.

1960年代の日本と英国に端を発する有機半導体の研究は、有機金属・超伝導体、有機磁石などへと発展する一方、有機半導体が電界発光素子やトランジスターに利用される有機エレクトロニクスの一大分野が開花しつつある。今後は、有機系の特長を活かした新しい発展が待望されている。

本事業では、日本－英国－カナダ－ロシアの研究者が、「物質合成」「基礎物性探索」「デバイス展開」研究において役割分担し、有機伝導体や磁性体研究を通じて見出された有機系に顕著な絶縁化要因、すなわち電子－格子緩和、電荷不均化や電子間反発などを起点とするデバイス特性を追求し、真に有機物的な有機エレクトロニクスを追求する。その一方、トランジスターや光電セル構造をつくり込むことよって有機伝導体・磁性体に効率的な電荷注入を行い、これによって新たな分子物性の開拓を目指す。すなわち、「有機伝導体・磁性体研究」⇔「有機エレクトロニクス研究」の双方向研究から、基礎と応用においてwin-winの革新的成果をもたらす。

さらに本事業では、日本側で推進されているさまざまな人材育成や国際化プログラムと連携することによって、俯瞰力・展開力・国際性が必要とされる「有機分子物性・有機エレクトロニクス」の将来を担う若手人材を育成する。