Chiral organic semiconducting materials for next-generation optoelectronic sensors

Summary

Circularly polarized light (CPL) is pivotal for next-generation technologies including quantum computation, information storage, optical communication, polarization imaging, and machine vision. To harness its remarkable potential, the direct conversion of this unique optical signal into an electrical signal has become essential. Therefore, considerable research efforts have focused on the development of chiral (meta)materials that can intrinsically interact with electromagnetic waves in light and the strategies used to enhance their performance. This review describes recent progress in optoelectronic sensors based on chiral organic semiconductors. We first provide the background of circularly polarized (CP) photodetectors, including their working mechanism, figure of merit, and strategies to enhance performance. We then categorize and summarize the different types of CP photodetectors based on chiral organic semiconductors, detailing their operating principles. Finally, we discuss potential applications of these devices in next-generation technologies and the outlook for this research field.