Thin film organic position sensitive detectors

Abstract

The present invention is directed to organic photosensitive optoelectronic devices and methods of use for determining the position of a light source. Provided is an organic position sensitive detector (OPSD) comprising: a first electrode, which is resistive and may be either an anode or a cathode; a first contact in electrical contact with the first electrode; a second contact in electrical contact with the first electrode; a second electrode disposed near the first electrode; a donor semiconductive organic layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and an acceptor semiconductive organic layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and adjacent to the donor semiconductive organic layer. A hetero-junction is located between the donor layer and the acceptor layer, and at least one of the donor layer and the acceptor layer is light absorbing. The OPSD has an optical beam spatial resolution of 20 μm and measurements are insensitive to fluctuations in incident light beam intensity and background illumination. The response of the OPSD shows high linearity, low positional error, high spatial resolution, and good beam tracking velocity. The OPSDs exhibited linearities and positional uncertainties of <1%.

1 . An organic position sensitive detector comprising: 
 a first electrode, wherein the first electrode is resistive and has a first point and a second point;    a first contact in electrical contact with the first point on the first electrode;    a second contact in electrical contact with the second point on the first electrode;    a second electrode disposed near the first electrode;    a donor semiconductive organic layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and    an acceptor semiconductive organic layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and adjacent to the donor semiconductive organic layer,    wherein a hetero-junction is located between the donor layer and the acceptor layer,    and at least one of the donor layer and the acceptor layer is light absorbing.    
     
     
         2 . The detector of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is an anode.  
     
     
         3 . The detector of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is a cathode.  
     
     
         4 . The detector of  claim 1 , wherein the first point and the second point are at opposite ends of the first electrode.  
     
     
         5 . The detector of  claim 1 , wherein, 
 when light, having 50 μW of power, strikes the donor layer and/or the acceptor layer, excitons are generated in the donor layer and/or the acceptor layer, and at least a portion of the excitons dissociate at the hetro-junction, thereby forming a measurable photocurrent at the first and second electrodes.    
     
     
         6 . The detector of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional contact, wherein the additional contact is located at an additional point on the resistive electrode.  
     
     
         7 . The detector of  claim 1 , wherein the resistive electrode is 0.5-10 cm long and 0.01-5.0 cm wide.  
     
     
         8 . The detector of  claim 1 , wherein the light absorbing layer has spectral sensitivity in the visible spectrum.  
     
     
         9 . The detector of  claim 1 , wherein the resistive electrode has a resistivity of 5Ω/square-10 KΩ/square.  
     
     
         10 . The detector of  claim 1 , wherein the donor semiconductive organic layer comprises copper phthalocyanine (CuPc).  
     
     
         11 . The detector of  claim 1 , wherein the acceptor semiconductive organic layer comprises 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic bis-benzimidazole (PTCBI).  
     
     
         12 . The detector of  claim 1 , further comprising an exciton blocking layer between the first electrode and the second electrode and adjacent to either the first electrode or the second electrode.  
     
     
         13 . The detector of  claim 12 , wherein the exciton blocking layer comprises bathocuproine (BCP).  
     
     
         14 . The detector of  claim 13 , wherein the BCP is doped with 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic bis-benzimidazole (PTCBI).  
     
     
         15 . The detector of  claim 1 , further comprising a polymer layer between the first electrode and the second electrode and adjacent to either the first electrode or the second electrode.  
     
     
         16 . The detector of  claim 14 , wherein the polymer layer comprises 3,4-polyethylenedioxythiophene:polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS).  
     
     
         17 . The detector of  claim 16 , wherein: 
 the donor semiconductive organic layer comprises copper phthalocyanine (CuPc);    the acceptor semiconductive organic layer comprises 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic-bis-benzimidazole (PTCBI); 
 the exciton blocking layer comprises 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (BCP); and  
   the polymer layer comprises 3,4-polyethylenedioxythiophene:polystyrene-sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS).    
     
     
         18 . The detector of  claim 1 , wherein the detector has an optical beam spatial resolution of less than 50 μm.  
     
     
         19 . The detector of  claim 18 , wherein the detector has an optical beam spatial resolution of less than 20 μm.  
     
     
         20 . (canceled)  
     
     
         21 . An organic position sensitive detector comprising: 
 a first electrode, wherein the first electrode is resistive and has a first point and a second point;    a first contact in electrical contact with the first point on the first electrode;    a second contact in electrical contact with the second point on the first electrode;    a second electrode disposed near the first electrode; and 
 a semiconductive organic layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the organic layer comprises at least one light absorbing material and wherein the first and second contacts are electrically connected to a lateral photovoltage measuring circuit.  
   
     
     
         22 . The detector of  claim 21 , wherein the semiconductive organic layer comprises a donor layer and an acceptor layer and has a hetero-junction between the donor layer and the acceptor layer.  
     
     
         23 . The detector of  claim 21 , wherein the first electrode is an anode.  
     
     
         24 . The detector of  claim 21 , wherein the first electrode is a cathode.  
     
     
         25 . The detector of  claim 21 , further comprising at least one additional contact, wherein the additional contact is located at an additional point on the resistive electrode.  
     
     
         26 . (canceled)  
     
     
         27 . The detector of  claim 21 , wherein the resistive electrode has a resistance of 100Ω-1000Ω.  
     
     
         28 . The detector of  claim 21 , wherein the donor semiconductive organic layer comprises copper phthalocyanine (CuPc).  
     
     
         29 . The detector of  claim 21 , wherein the acceptor semiconductive organic layer comprises 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic bis-benzimidazole (PTCBI).  
     
     
         30 . The detector of  claim 21 , further comprising an exciton blocking layer between the first electrode and the second electrode and adjacent to either the first electrode or the second electrode.  
     
     
         31 . The detector of  claim 30 , wherein the exciton blocking layer comprises bathocuproine (BCP).  
     
     
         32 . The detector of  claim 31 , wherein the BCP is doped with 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic bis-benzimidazole (PTCBI).  
     
     
         33 . The detector of  claim 21 , further comprising a polymer layer between the first electrode and the second electrode and adjacent to either the first electrode or the second electrode.  
     
     
         34 . The detector of  claim 33 , wherein the polymer layer comprises 3,4-polyethylenedioxythiophene:polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS).  
     
     
         35 - 41 . (canceled)