University of California

Anand Viswanathan

Bruce M Novak

Edward H Haagen

Photoactive cationic organic polymers are provided which are electrically insulating and which are capable of photolysis to an electrically conductive form. The organic polymer includes a C-A linkage, wherein C is a chalcogenide-sulfide, selenide or telluride-in the polymer backbone chain and A is in aryl or alkyl group. The C-A linkage is capable of being cleaved in the presence of ultraviolet light to release A as a free radical and cause the polymer to become electrically conducting in the presence of the light while the remainder of the polymer remains electrically non-conducting. A thin film of such a polymer containing an electrically insulating region and a photolysed electrically conductive region may be used as a semiconductor. Methods for forming photoactive arylated or alkylated poly(phenylene chalcogenide) polymers involving the step of direct arylation or alkylation of a poly(phenylene chalcogenide) polymer are also provided. In addition, a method is provided for forming a semiconductor. The method involves the steps of selectively exposing at least one region of a photoactive electrically insulating cationic organic polymer to photolytic light to release a radical and convert the exposed region to a stable electrically conducting state.

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Rancho Palo Verdes, CA, United States of America

Anand Viswanathan