Chiral π-conjugated molecules
provide new materials with
outstanding features for current and perspective applications, especially
in the field of optoelectronic devices. In thin films, processes such
as charge conduction, light absorption, and emission are governed
not only by the structure of the individual molecules but also by
their supramolecular structures and intermolecular interactions to
a large extent. Electronic circular dichroism, ECD, and its emission
counterpart, circularly polarized luminescence, CPL, provide tools
for studying aggregated states and the key properties to be sought
for designing innovative devices. In this review, we shall present
a comprehensive coverage of chiroptical properties measured on thin
films of organic π-conjugated molecules. In the first part,
we shall discuss some general concepts of ECD, CPL, and other chiroptical
spectroscopies, with a focus
on their applications to thin film samples. In the following, we will
overview the existing literature on chiral π-conjugated systems
whose thin films have been characterized by ECD and/or CPL, as well
other chiroptical spectroscopies. Special emphasis will be put on
systems with large dissymmetry factors (g
abs and g
lum) and on the application of
ECD and CPL to derive structural information on aggregated states.