Polymer photovoltaic detectors: progress and recent developments

Polymer photovoltaic detectors develop rather fast to a mature technological level, significantly faster than the technological closely related solar cells. The lack of near IR absorbing polymers, currently limiting the polymer solar cell efficiency, is not relevant for the performance of UV/V is detectors. Recent progress improved the polymer photovoltaic detectors to a level sufficient for many applications. External quantum efficiencies exceeding 80% in the visible range, linearity over several decades, low dark currents, a capacitance limited noise and a fast transient behaviour are demonstrated for prototype thin film detector with an active layer thickness of approximately 100 nm. Uncritical processing via printing methods together with a favourable cost structure suggest these detectors for various applications like chemical/medical sensing and analysis as well as line or matrix arrays for full colour picture recognition and safety applications.