Understanding the Interplay Between Organic and Inorganic Materials

Electronic and photonic phenomena based on combining the properties of organic, inorganic, and biological materials systems have emerged as important areas of fundamental and technologically oriented research. Such hybrid systems offer unique electronic and photonic functions that cannot be obtained from the individual systems alone. The goal of the proposed conference will be to discuss and analyze new and exciting phenomena that are only possible when organic and inorganic materials are combined and to better understand their potential impact via the exciting cross-disciplinary discussion and repartee that only Gordon conferences can offer. Continuous development of the hybrid electronics/photonics field will have important impacts in two aspects. Most immediately, it will help us to answer a number of fundamental questions that are emerging in the interdisciplinary fields of contemporary physical sciences. Over the longer term, it will also unlock the potential for paradigm-changing solutions to important challenges of the 21stcentury, such as solar energy utilization and environmentally friendly technologies, among others. Examples of topics that could be covered by the conference include the following.

1. Dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical solar cells, also known as Graetzel cells. The synergy between nano-structured inorganic semiconductors, organic and metal-organic sensitizers, organic or inorganic electrolytes, and inorganic or metal-organic redox partners offers a rich interplay of dissimilar forms of matter. The performance of these cells in solar energy conversion is of interest from both fundamental scientific and technological standpoints.
2. Hybrid organic-inorganic micro- and nano-photonic structures and circuitry. The ability of inorganic structures such as lithographically nanostructured silicon to capture and manipulate light in complementary, synthetically tailored organic p-electron optical networks offers new opportunities for high-speed optical signal processing in highly miniaturized devices. Furthermore, combining such high-response organic materials with transparent oxide modulating electrodes offers new opportunities to create high-speed optical signal processing circuitry with minimal power consumption.
3. Hybrid organic-inorganic photovoltaic phenomena. Positive but not always well-understood synergies between inorganic electrodes, organic or inorganic interfacial layers, and active layers that consist of both organic and inorganic constituents can achieve solar cell performance greater than that achieved by organic materials alone. The challenges in this area include understanding how these diverse materials interact and how they can be tailored to maximize light capture, power conversion efficiency, durability, and manufacturability.
4. Hybrid functional electronic structures. Positive but poorly understood interactions between organic or inorganic semiconductors, gate dielectrics, organic or inorganic conductors can give rise to high-performance electronic circuitry that can be both mechanically flexible and optically transparent. The interplay between such diverse materials is of both fundamental scientific and technological interest. In some cases these materials combinations allow roll-to-roll printing of circuitry, and the first technologies are now entering the marketplace.
5. Hybrid organic and inorganic luminescent materials. There are many emerging examples of hybrid electronic and photonic materials finding applications in biological systems for bio-sensing and bio-imaging. Organic and inorganic luminescence materials have been used in bioimaging applications recently and have yielded exciting results.
6. Hybrid inorganic-organic biological photonic structures. There is growing evidence that some photosynthetic marine organisms grow, via biomineralization, optically transparent inorganic structures to serve as light pipes to power their photosynthetic machinery.

In short, the hybrid electronics/photonics GRC will feature sessions on currently very active topics that include dye-sensitized solar cells and organic/inorganic interfacial phenomena, as well as emerging areas and new phenomena such as graphene-based hybrid devices and organic/inorganic luminescence in bio-imaging. World leaders in all of these areas will be speakers and discussion leaders, making the conference an excellent forum for scientists from different disciplines to meet and initiate new research directions.

This GRC will take place in Hong Kong, because of its location and history as the meeting point of East and West, making it an ideal place to coordinate the world-wide activities in the field.