Organic LEDs and photodetectors for wearable biomedical devices

Abstract

Light-based biomedical sensing and therapy enables highly precise, timely and contactless interventions and range from neuronal stimulation via optogenetics over sensing cellular activity by functional fluorescence to monitoring health signals using wearable devices. Organic semiconductors are ideally suited building blocks due to their tunability of material properties, mechanical flexibility and ability for patterning to microscopic shapes. Here, I will present the development of organic LEDs (OLEDs) and photodiodes (OPDs) as light sources and sensors for biomedical applications. The OLEDs are tailored towards high power output and application-specific angular and spectral emission properties. Devices are fabricated on flexible substrates, patterned to sub-mm scale, and applied in optogenetics and fluorescence imaging. Furthermore, I will show flexible OPDs used for photoplethysmography at ambient light conditions and under water.