Recent progress in metal-organic complexes for optoelectronic applications

Chem Soc Rev. 2014 May 21;43(10):3259-302. doi: 10.1039/c3cs60449g. Epub 2014 Feb 17.

Abstract

The design and characterization of metal-organic complexes for optoelectronic applications is an active area of research. The metal-organic complex offers unique optical and electronic properties arising from the interplay between the inorganic metal and the organic ligand. The ability to modify chemical structure through control over metal-ligand interaction on a molecular level could directly impact the properties of the complex. When deposited in thin film form, this class of materials enable the fabrication of a wide variety of low-cost electronic and optoelectronic devices. These include light emitting diodes, solar cells, photodetectors, field-effect transistors as well as chemical and biological sensors. Here we present an overview of recent development in metal-organic complexes with controlled molecular structures and tunable properties. Advances in extending the control of molecular structures to solid materials for energy conversion and information technology applications will be highlighted.