The weak intermolecular interactions inherent in organic semiconductors make them susceptible to defect formation, resulting in localized states in the band-gap that can trap charge carriers at different timescales. Charge carrier trapping is thus ubiquitous in organic semiconductors and can have a profound impact on their performance when incorporated into optoelectronic devices. This review provides a comprehensive overview on the phenomenon of charge carrier trapping in organic semiconductors, with emphasis on the underlying physical processes and its impact on device operation. We first define the concept of charge carrier trap, then outline and categorize different origins of traps. Next, we discuss their impact on the mechanism of charge transport and the performance of electronic devices. Progress in the filed in terms of characterization and detection of charge carrier traps is reviewed together with insights on future direction of research. Finally, a discussion on the exploitation of traps in memory and sensing applications is provided.

中文翻译：

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有机半导体中的电荷载流子陷阱：对基础物理的回顾及其对电子设备的影响

有机半导体固有的弱分子间相互作用使它们易于形成缺陷，从而导致能带隙中的局部状态可以捕获不同时间尺度的载流子。因此，电荷载流子捕获在有机半导体中无处不在，并且在结合到光电设备中时会对它们的性能产生深远的影响。这篇综述全面概述了有机半导体中载流子的俘获现象，并着重于基本的物理过程及其对器件操作的影响。我们首先定义电荷载流子陷阱的概念，然后概述和分类陷阱的不同来源。接下来，我们讨论它们对电荷传输机制和电子设备性能的影响。综述了电荷载流子陷阱的表征和检测领域的进展以及对未来研究方向的见识。最后，对存储器和传感应用中陷阱的利用进行了讨论。