Light‐Emitting Electrospun Nanofibers for Nanophotonics and Optoelectronics

Abstract

The processing, properties, and applications of electrospun light‐emitting nanofibers are reviewed. The different experimental approaches for electrospinning conjugated polymers and light‐emitting compounds are presented. The characterization of the optoelectronic properties of electrospun conjugated polymer nanofibers evidences intriguing features, such as polarized emission, self‐waveguiding, enhanced energy transfer, and charge transport. The applications of such nanostructured materials include polarized light sources for lab‐on‐chip devices, nanoscale organic light‐emitting diodes and optically pumped lasers, field‐effect transistors, and high‐performance optical sensors. Future challenges and perspectives of electrospun light‐emitting nanofibers are also discussed.

Electrospinning for nano- to mesoscale photonic structures

“…Implementation of these systems spans a large field of applications [35][36][37]. Since the discovery of electroluminescence in poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) [38], light-emitting OSCs have provided photo and electroluminescence in the UV-visible range with high emission efficiencies and large stimulated emission cross-sections [39][40][41][42]. Tunable chemical synthesis methods have allowed for control over electronic band-gap structure, optical properties, and electro-chemical redox at the molecular level [43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52] for the production of π-conjugated small molecules, oligomers, and polymers with optical and electronic properties suitable for a variety of applications of OSCs [43][44][45][46][47][53][54][55][56].…”

“…Supramolecular assembly of polymeric backbones also has demonstrated polarization of emitted photons [144][145][146], low threshold amplified spontaneous emission [147], and non-radiative energy transfer [148]. Manipulation of these fundamental properties has led to extensive innovation in the area of ONF-based devices [39,149]. Alignment of polymer backbone structures along fiber axes forms crystal domains [150][151][152], which have provided a foundation for optoelectronics such as nanofiber light sources with color tunability and waveguide capabilities and nanofiber lasers [39,146,148,.…”

“…Manipulation of these fundamental properties has led to extensive innovation in the area of ONF-based devices [39,149]. Alignment of polymer backbone structures along fiber axes forms crystal domains [150][151][152], which have provided a foundation for optoelectronics such as nanofiber light sources with color tunability and waveguide capabilities and nanofiber lasers [39,146,148,. Biologically, hybrid nanofiber scaffolds have provided a cell niche conducive to improved attachment, proliferation, and cell differentiation [190][191][192][193][194][195][196][197][198], as well as targeted drug delivery carriers [198][199][200][201][202][203][204][205][206].…”

“…Polymer nanofibers are suitable for waveguide applications because of low attenuation, optical tunability, and favorable processability [35,39,299]. For a waveguide to function effectively, the waveguide core has to be surrounded by a cladding material with a comparatively lower refractive index, allowing for total internal reflection within the fiber.…”

Advances in Electrospun Functional Nanofibers

“…[3] Three contributions deal with chemical, pressure, and wearable sensors. Choi excellent oxygen-sensing properties, which could be potentially used in automotive exhaust systems due to their ability to monitor oxygen concentration change at relatively low temperature.…”