Radiation-Hard Organic Electronics via Perylenediimide Core Engineering

Abstract

This first systematic study of gamma-ray exposure on perylenediimide (PDI) semiconductors reveals their outstanding radiation hardness, unlocking potential for extreme-environment electronics. By investigating a series of functionalized PDIs in two complementary device platforms (lateral resistors and OFETs), we demonstrate that radiation sensitivity can be effectively tuned via molecular design. Bay-cyano functionalization yields highly responsive materials, while the icnorporation of selenium bridge enables exceptional radiation tolerance. OFETs based on the rationally designed material show no performance degradation and even improve their characteristics after exposure to 500 kGy of gamma rays—a dose that would severely degrade conventional silicon electronics. Mechanistic insights from ESR spectroscopy and MALDI ToF mass spectrometry analysis suggest a radical-based degradation pathway, further informing rational material design. These findings position rationally engineered organic semiconductors as a promising new class of radiation-hardened materials for applications in space, nuclear power plant, and medical technologies.