Polysilanes - Advanced materials for optoelectronics

The electronic structures, electrical and photoelectrical properties and possible electronic applications of polysilanes are discussed. The electronic properties are influenced by electron delocalization along the polymer silicon backbone. Attached pi-conjugated chromophores improve the photostability of the silicon main chain, and influence the band gap energy and electrical behaviour. Optical excitations lead to the formation of excitons, electron-hole pairs and charge transfer states (ion-pairs). Under the influence of an external electric field, these can dissociate into free charge carriers. Charge carrier transport can be described by a model of disordered polarons.