Photoelectric conversion layer, photoelectric conversion device and imaging device, and method for applying electric field thereto

1. A photoelectric conversion layer comprising a compound represented by the following formula (1):

wherein L represents a divalent or polyvalent connecting group; n represents an integer of 2 or more; and A is a chemical structure represented by the following formula (2):

wherein X 1 to X 8 each independently represents a substituted or unsubstituted carbon atom or a nitrogen atom.

2. The photoelectric conversion layer according to claim 1 , wherein the photoelectric conversion layer includes a p-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer, and contains the compound represented by the formula (1).

3. The photoelectric conversion layer according to claim 1 , wherein the photoelectric conversion layer includes a p-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer, and at least one of the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer contains the compound represented by the formula (1).

4. The photoelectric conversion layer according to claim 2 , which further includes a bulk heterojunction structure layer provided between the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer, the bulk heterojunction structure layer containing a p-type semiconductor and an n-type semiconductor.

5. The photoelectric conversion layer according to claim 2 , which has a structure having a number of a repeating structure of a pn junction layer formed of the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer of 2 or more.

6. The photoelectric conversion layer according to claim 2 , wherein the p-type semiconductor is an organic semiconductor, and the n-type semiconductor is an organic semiconductor.

7. The photoelectric conversion layer according to claim 1 , wherein the photoelectric conversion layer has a thickness of from 30 to 300 nm.

8. The photoelectric conversion layer according to claim 2 , wherein the p-type semiconductor or the n-type semiconductor is colorless.

9. A photoelectric conversion device comprising the photoelectric conversion layer according to claim 1 .

10. A photoelectric conversion device comprising a pair of electrodes and the photoelectric conversion layer according to claim 1 between the pair of electrodes.

11. A photoelectric conversion device comprising two or more photoelectric conversion layers, wherein at least one of the photoelectric conversion layers is the photoelectric conversion layer according to claim 1 .

12. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 11 , wherein the two or more photoelectric conversion layers are three layers of a blue photoelectric conversion layer, a green photoelectric conversion layer and a red photoelectric conversion layer.

13. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 12 , wherein spectral absorption maximum values of the blue photoelectric conversion layer, the green photoelectric conversion layer and the red photoelectric conversion layer are in a range of from 400 nm to 500 nm, in a range of from 500 nm to 600 nm, and in a range of from 600 nm to 700 nm, respectively.

14. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 12 , wherein spectral sensitivity maximum values of the blue photoelectric conversion layer, the green photoelectric conversion layer and the red photoelectric conversion layer are in a range of from 400 nm to 500 nm, in a range of from 500 nm to 600 nm, and in a range of from 600 nm to 700 nm, respectively.

15. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 12 , wherein a gap between a shortest wavelength and a longest wavelength exhibiting 50% of the spectral maximum absorption of each of the blue photoelectric conversion layer, the green photo-electric conversion layer and the red photoelectric conversion layer is not more than 120 nm.

16. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 12 , wherein a gap between a shortest wavelength and a longest wavelength exhibiting 50% of the spectral maximum sensitivity of each of the blue photoelectric conversion layer, the green photo-electric conversion layer and the red photoelectric conversion layer is not more than 120 nm.

17. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 12 , wherein a gap between a shortest wavelength and a longest wavelength exhibiting 80% of the spectral maximum absorption of each of the blue photoelectric conversion layer, the green photo-electric conversion layer and the red photoelectric conversion layer is from 20 nm to 100 nm.

18. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 12 , wherein a gap between a shortest wavelength and a longest wavelength exhibiting 80% of the spectral maximum sensitivity of each of the blue photoelectric conversion layer, the green photo-electric conversion layer and the red photoelectric conversion layer is from 20 nm to 100 nm.

19. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 12 , wherein a gap between a shortest wavelength and a longest wavelength exhibiting 20% of the spectral maximum absorption of each of the blue photoelectric conversion layer, the green photo-electric conversion layer and the red photoelectric conversion layer is not more than 180 nm.

20. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 12 , wherein a gap between a shortest wavelength and a longest wavelength exhibiting 20% of the spectral maximum sensitivity of each of the blue photoelectric conversion layer, the green photo-electric conversion layer and the red photoelectric conversion layer is not more than 180 nm.

21. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 12 , wherein a longest wavelength exhibiting 50% of the spectral maximum absorption of the blue photoelectric conversion layer, the green photoelectric conversion layer and the red photoelectric conversion layer is from 460 nm to 510 nm, from 560 nm to 610 nm and from 640 nm to 730 nm, respectively.

22. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 12 , wherein a longest wavelength exhibiting 50% of the spectral maximum sensitivity of the blue photoelectric conversion layer, the green photoelectric conversion layer and the red photoelectric conversion layer is from 460 nm to 510 nm, from 560 nm to 610 nm and from 640 nm to 730 nm, respectively.

23. A photoelectric conversion device including at least two electromagnetic wave absorption/photoelectric conversion sites, at least one of the sites comprising the photoelectric conversion layer according to claim 1 .

24. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 23 , wherein the at least two electromagnetic wave absorption/photoelectric conversion sites have a stack type structure of at least two layers.

25. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 24 , wherein an upper layer of the photoelectric conversion device comprises a site capable of absorbing green light and undergoing photoelectric conversion.

26. A photoelectric conversion device including at least three electromagnetic wave absorption/photoelectric conversion sites, at least one of the sites comprising the photoelectric conversion layer according to claim 1 .

27. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 26 , wherein an upper layer of the photoelectric conversion device comprises a site capable of absorbing green light and undergoing photoelectric conversion.

28. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 26 , wherein at least two of the electromagnetic wave absorption/photoelectric conversion sites comprise an inorganic layer.

29. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 28 , wherein at least two of the electromagnetic wave absorption/photoelectric conversion sites are provided within a silicon substrate.

30. An imaging device comprising the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 .

31. A method for applying an electric field of from 10 −2 V/cm to 1×10 10 V/cm to the photoelectric conversion layer according to claim 1 .