The Göran Gustafsson Prize is one of Sweden’s most prestigious awards for young researchers. Established by the Göran Gustafsson Foundation for Research in Natural Sciences and Medicine, the prize recognizes outstanding scientific achievements by researchers working in Sweden who are under the age of 45. It is awarded annually in several disciplines, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, molecular biology, and medicine. In addition to honoring scientific excellence, the prize provides significant research funding to support the continued development of innovative and high-impact research (7.8 MSEK for a period of three years) as well as a personal prize of SEK 300,000.
This year, WWSC member Professor Simone Fabiano at Linköping University is one of the five laureates, recognized for his research on organic semiconductors.
Organic semiconductors can in some cases serve as attractive alternatives to traditional inorganic semiconductors, as they are more flexible and can be produced using simpler and more resource-efficient methods. However, tuning their electrical and optical properties through doping is considerably more complex and difficult to control. Substances traditionally used for doping are often either too reactive—making them unstable because they react with many other materials—or too weak to initiate the necessary reactions.
A major breakthrough came through the use of photocatalysis, which enables the use of dopants that would otherwise be too weak, such as oxygen. The method developed by Professor Fabiano and his team has opened entirely new possibilities for the field of organic electronics. By improving the understanding of how the electronic properties of organic semiconductors can be chemically controlled, it becomes possible to develop electronic devices that are more efficient, adaptable, and energy-efficient.
“It’s an amazing feeling, especially for everyone who has contributed to this research over the years. I see it as a major prize for the entire group, not just for me,” says Simone Fabiano to liu.se.