Thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (TT) and dithieno[3,2-b;3,2-d]thiophene (DTT) have drawn immense attention in the field of electronics and optoelectronics. In this work, the first examples of TTs (TPE2-TT and TPE3-TT) and a DTT (TPE2-DTT), having tetraphenylethylene (TPE) at the periphery exhibiting aggregation induced emission (AIE) in OLEDs, were designed and synthesized by the Suzuki coupling reaction. Their properties were investigated through experimental and computational studies, as well as X-ray diffraction and DFT optimization. TPE2-TT showed excellent device performance with a maximum luminance of 11 620 cd m⁻², a maximum current efficiency of 6.17 cd A⁻¹ and a maximum external quantum efficiency of 2.43%. Moreover, these synthetically easily accessible molecules have high thermal stability, which makes them perfectly suitable for optical applications.

Today, more disciplines are intercepting each other, giving rise to “cross-disciplinary” research. Technological advancements in material science and device structure and production have paved the way towards development of new classes of multi-purpose sensory devices. Organic phototransistors (OPTs) are photo-activated sensors based on organic field-effect transistors that convert incident light signals into electrical signals. The organic semiconductor (OSC) layer and three-electrode structure of an OPT offer great advantages for light detection compared to conventional photodetectors and photodiodes, due to their signal amplification and noise reduction characteristics. Solution processing of the active layer enables mass production of OPT devices at significantly reduced cost. The chemical structure of OSCs can be modified accordingly to fulfil detection at various wavelengths for different purposes. Organic phototransistors have attracted substantial interest in a variety of fields, namely biomedical, medical diagnostics, healthcare, energy, security, and environmental monitoring. Lightweight and mechanically flexible and wearable OPTs are suitable alternatives not only at clinical levels but also for point-of-care and home-assisted usage. In this review, we aim to explain different types, working mechanism and figures of merit of organic phototransistors and highlight the recent advances from the literature on development and implementation of OPTs for a broad range of research and real-life applications.