Device applications of charge transport in discotic liquid crystals

We discuss some of the unique structural and electronic properties of discotic liquid crystals, particularly the nature of the ‘band structure’, and of charge injection from metal electrodes. Attempts have been made to use conducting discotic liquid crystals in electroluminescent devices and in gas sensors. The latter are created by spin-coating a thin film of discotic liquid crystals onto an array of interdigitated electrodes. We discuss the temperature dependence of the conductivity of these new systems, analyse the mechanism of charge diffusion and the effect of adsorbed gases.