Recent advances in photodiode-type organic photodetectors: From polymer design to applications

Abstract

Organic photodetectors (OPDs) offer intrinsic advantages over their inorganic counterparts, including<br /> mechanical flexibility, lightweight and deformable device architectures compatible with wearable and stretchable electionics, and broad tunability of optoelectronic properties enabled by molecular-level de-sign. These feanres position OPDs as versatile and complementary photodetection platforms for both broadband and qolor-selective light sensing. This review presents a focused overview of polymer-based OPDs, with partiqular emphasis on photodiode-type devices based on p-n heterojunction (HJ) and photo-multiplication (PM)-type OPDs, which have experienced especially rapid progress in recent years, achiev-ing substantial improvements in sensitivity, noise characteristics, and response speed. We first summarize the fundamental operating principles and key figures of merit governing both static and dynamic OPD performance. For HJ-type OPDs, recent advances in molecular design strategies enabling visible, near-infrared (NIR), and short-wave infrared (SWIR) photodetection are discussed, with particular attention to polymer modkication approaches that realize color-selective absorption and improved device perfor-mance. We then review recent developments in high-gain PM-type OPDs, focusing on polymer host de-sign and charge-apping modulation strategies for PM. Finally, current challenges and future perspectives for next-generation OPDs are discussed, with an outlook toward their integration into advanced optoelec-<br /> tronic systems. (c) 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining. Al training, and<br /> similar technologies.