1.Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics & Information Displays (KLOEID), Jiangsu-Singapore Joint Research Center for Organic/Bio Electronics & Information Displays, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China
2.Executive Management College of CHN ENERGY, North District of Future Science City, Changping District, No.7 Binhe Avenue, Beijing 102211, China
The invention of organic light emitting diodes (LEDs) led to enormous excitement in both academe and industry in the late 1980's. Flexibility
large area solution processability
roll-to-roll printing
low cost
and environmentally friendly are some of the advantages of organic semiconductor materials
which brought a new horizon for optoelectronics. Together with the achievement of organic sol
ar cells
transistors
lasers
and amplifiers
this has demonstrated potential applications of organic semiconductors in displays
lighting
solar energy generation
electronics
sensing and imaging
and many aspects of photonics. In an enlightened conversation with Light: Science
&
Applications
Prof. Donal Bradley (FRS)
a pioneer in the field
shared his deep insights on past
current
and future exciting developments of organic optoelectronic materials and devices. In particular
he expressed his opinion on the hot topics related to organic optoelectronics research and application
such as the relationship between organic and inorganic semiconductors and the challenge of electrically pumped organic lasers. As a successful scientist
Donal has also been co-founder of several organic optoelectronics innovation companies and research centers and a long-term academic administrator serving as a Head of Department
Centre Director
and Vice-Rector for Research at Imperial College
Head of the Mathematical
Physical
and Life Sciences Division at the University of Oxford
Vice-President for Research at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and now Vice-President for Research and Innovation at NEOM U and Executive Director of the NEOM Education
Research and Innovation Foundation. Through this interview
we also explore the major roles and events in Donal's career experience from the invention of the first conjugated polymer LED in the world to the set-up of entrepreneurial companies
from Cambridge to Sheffield
Imperial College
and Oxford
from the UK to overseas
and from the establishment of the Centre for Plastic Electronics in Imperial College to the set-up of the Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research (OSCAR). Before the end of the conversation
he also shares his interesting story of identifying a new species of Sea Bream