Research Activities

Photochromic materials for optoelectronics

Photochromic molecules belonging to diarylethenes or spiroxazines and showing a large dipole moment will be designed and synthesized. Thin films with well-defined orientation of the photochromic molecules will be obtained by poling.

Furthermore, suitable functional groups will be introduced to impart molecules the property to self-assemble or to produce ordered mono- and multi-layers through Langmuir Blodgett technique.

Digital X-ray panel imager based on p-conjugated molecules - DiXp

Based on the expertise on organic photodiodes common to the other project, we aim to specialize to the detection of X-rays.

The target is the realization of all-organic Digital X-ray panel imagers (DiXp) that might address both medical, scientific and industrial large area X-ray imaging applications.

To this aim we first analyze the interplay between blend composition and choice of the electrodes in order to reach minumum leakage current values without affecting quantum efficiency. The first stage will employ an hybrid solution for the organic detector and for the addressing and readout (inorganic), however the long-term targe is an all-organic system exploiting ink-jet deposition technology developed at CNST.

Organic Colorimetry

The project concerns the implementation of a color sensor device, based onto organic semiconducting materials and working in the tristimulus approach. The adoption of semiconducting polymers as active materials allows to avoid any optical filtering, offering at the same time a more direct color measurement and a simple solution to the problem of metamerism, which still represents a puzzling issue in the colorimetric practise.

The organic device will be integrated either in pre-existing color-measurement instrumentation or in a new, fully-organic colorimeter, including an organic led as a light source. The final goal of the project is the realization of a prototype, which is disposable, low-cost and easily adaptable to the various, different requirements of the color characterization.

The interface between bio-environment and artificial devices

The possibility to establish a communication protocol between organic semiconducting polymers and a biological environment will be carefully investigated, in order to realize hybrid, bio-organic devices with unique functionalities.

More in detail, polymer films may work as active materials either in photosensing devices, or in field-effect transistors, or in light-emitting diodes.

Micro Array for Retinal Visual Elaboration

Aim of this research line is the development of an artificial visual system, sensitive to the visible and near infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum, based on the variable geometri organic photo-detectors arrays.

The AVS we propose is strongly inspired by natural solutions to the tasks of vision and mobile target tracking. Its realization will bring innovative cameras for warning and tracking, with distinct features for the perception of motion, artificial systems for machine visions and ultimately retina implantation.