Due to their easy of synthesis and, more importantly, ease of modification organic materials are ideal candidates to explore sensing applications. For electronic detection of many analytes, the sensitivity of the device is typically strongly related to the density of grain boundaries, where the increased surface area and access to the semiconductor / dielectric interface is critical to generating a response. Here, however, our focus is on radiation sensing for both dosimetry and imaging. Here, it is the nature of the materials themselves that determines effectiveness. Improving packing density, and the inclusion of higher-Z elements in the periphery or core of the semiconductor leads to substantial improvements in sensitivity of transistors configured for radiation sensing. The complicated interplay of device configuration and the effect of radiation exposure on the organic device will be discussed. In some situations, less precise information on radiation dose is required, allowing a simple colorimetric approach to be utilized. I will discuss our efforts at controlling sensitivity and packaging for simple, low-cost, colorimetric radiation sensors.
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