Abstract: Advances in the synthesis of low bandgap (E_g < 1.5 eV) conjugated polymers has produced organic materials capable of absorbing near-infrared (NIR) light (800—2500 nm), with these materials first applied to photodiode NIR detectors in 2007 as an alternative to more traditional inorganic devices. Although the development of organic NIR photodetectors has continued to advance, their ability to effectively detect wavelengths in the low-energy portion of the NIR spectrum is still limited. Efforts to date concerning the production of photo-diode-based devices capable of detecting light beyond 1000 nm are reviewed.

Key words: conjugated polymers, low bandgap polymers, NIR photodetectors, photodiodes, organic electronics