Neat Ionic liquids and Deep Eutectic Solvents in Photonics: Status Quo and Future Directions

Abstract

In the past decades, Ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have gained recognition as green solvents, mainly because of their low vapor pressure, potential for recycling, and customized synthesis. The customization leverages task specificity for a particular application. While the photoactive ILs and DESs have been used as an adjuvant in aqueous or organic solution for a variety of applications, this perspective article discusses the relatively underexplored applications of neat ILs or DESs in the field of photonics. Specifically, customization of their chemical structure is discussed to facilitate a particular linear and non-linear optical response, serving as a solvent-free photonic component, including future directions.