A near-infrared acceptor incorporating selenium heterocycles for efficient semi-transparent photovoltaics and sensitive photodetectors

Near infrared (NIR) acceptors are the key components for the construction of efficient organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and organic photodetectors (OPDs). Herein, a near-infrared acceptor named 6TSe-OFIC incorporating selenium heterocycles has been designed, which shows an absorption onset around 1000 nm with a low optical bandgap of 1.29 eV. OPV device based on PCE10: 6TSe-OFIC demonstrates a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 13.18% with a high and broad EQE response. The semi-transparent OPV device based on PCE10: 6TSe-OFIC shows a PCE of 10.06% with AVT 20%. With the same active layer, the OPD devices achieve the responsivities of 0.54 A W −1 at ∼850 nm. The results highlight the opportunities to careful design of the NIR molecules for efficient OPVs and OPDs. • A NIR acceptor 6TSe-OFIC incorporating Se in the molecular backbone has designed. • The semi-transparent device of PCE10:6TSe-OFIC achieves a PCE of 10.06% with an AVT over 20% and an outstanding CRI of 91. • The self-powered OPD device of PCE10:6TSe-OFIC demonstrates the responsivities of 0.54 A W −1 at ∼850 nm and a D* of over 10 12 jones from 400 to 960 nm. • The design idea can be a useful guideline for developing high efficiency semi-transparent OPV and sensitive OPD.