Editorial: Organic Electronics: Future Trends in Materials, Fabrication Techniques and Applications

Since the discovery of the conducting properties of polyacetylene by the scientists Shirakawa, MacDiarmid and Heeger in 1977 [1–3], which led them to the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000, organic electronics has been deeply investigated by the research community, emerging as a promising technology for the conception and realization of innovative and smart devices. Indeed, the unique properties of organic small molecules and polymers, such as their easy processability from solution, possibility of deposition at low temperature, over large areas and by means of low-cost techniques compatible with roll-to-roll printing processes, make them ideal candidates for the development of a novel platform for advanced opto- and micro-electronic devices and sensing systems, easily scalable from lab to industrial prototypes [4]. Moreover, the high electronic performances achieved thanks to recent progress in molecular tailoring [5] and device conception and fabrication are pushing technology of organic electronics even closer to the marketplace for a large plethora of applications.