Shortwave Infrared Organic Optoelectronic Materials and Devices: Organic Photodetectors, Organic Solar Cells and Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

ABSTRACT The short‐wave infrared (SWIR, 1–2.5 µm) spectral window has recently attracted intense attention owing to its intrinsically low scattering, deep penetration, and exceptional robustness under complex environments, capabilities that far surpass those of visible and near‐infrared systems. These advantages have positioned SWIR photonics at the core of emerging applications ranging from biomedical imaging and environmental monitoring to autonomous sensing and optical communication. Although state‐of‐the‐art SWIR technologies are predominantly based on inorganic semiconductors such as InGaAs, their high cost, rigidity, and limited compatibility with flexible or biocompatible platforms constrain further deployment. Organic semiconductors have therefore emerged as a compelling alternative, offering molecular tunability, solution processability, mechanical compliance, and scalability for large‐area manufacturing. This review provides an overview of recent developments in SWIR materials, emphasizing donor‐acceptor small molecules and polymers featuring band gaps below 1.24 eV. Topics addressed include molecular design strategies, structure‐property relationships, distinct SWIR absorption and emission characteristics, and their device performance and representative applications in organic photodetectors, solar cells, and light‐emitting diodes. Finally, we identify key challenges related to nonradiative losses, stability, charge management, and material–device integration and provide a forward‐looking perspective for the development of next‐generation SWIR organic optoelectronics.