The development of conducting polymers and their applications resulted in another Nobel prize in 2000, this time in chemistry. Alan J. Heeger, Alan G. MacDiarmid and Hideki Shirakawa proved that plastic can conduct electricity.
Unlike conventional inorganic conductors and semiconductors, organic electronic materials are constructed from organic (carbon-based) molecules or polymers using chemical synthesis. Organic electronics is not limited to conducting polymers, but includes other organic materials that might be of use in electronics. These include a variety of dyes, organic charge-transfer complexes, and many other organic molecules.
In terms of performance and industrial development, organic molecules and polymers cannot yet compete with their inorganic counterparts. However, organic electronics have some advantages over conventional electronic materials. Low material and production costs, mechanical flexibility, adaptability of synthesis processes and biocompatibility make organic electronics a desirable choice for certain applications.
Commercially available high-tech products relying on organic semiconductors, such as curved television screens, displays for smartphones, coloured light sources and portable solar cells, demonstrate the industrial maturity of organic electronics. In fact, several high-tech companies, including LG Electronics and Samsung, have invested in cheap and high-performance organic-electronic devices. It is expected that the organic electronics market will grow rapidly in the coming years.
