A research team led by Associate Professor Yasushi Segawa, graduate students Mai Nagase (at the time of the research) and Rui Yoshida, and technical staff member Sachiko Nakano of the Institute for Molecular Science (IMS) and SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), together with Associate Professor Takashi Hirose of Kyoto University's Institute for Chemical Research, has synthesized three-dimensionally shaped molecules containing an internal twist and shown that they possess the properties of organic semiconductors. By introducing methyl groups into a planar molecule containing several thiophene units and forcing it into a twisted conformation, the team created a solid-state structure in which electricity can flow three-dimensionally. The molecule was verified to act as an organic semiconductor in an organic field-effect transistor, paving the way for next-generation electronic devices.

These results were published online in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Chemical Communications on 19 June 2025.

The University of Texas at Arlington has awarded funding to research teams to launch new investigative projects. The Research Enhancement Program (REP), administered by UTA’s Office of Vice President for Research and Innovation, offers seed funding to investigators to help them test new ideas and explore new directions that could lead to future innovations and more competitive proposals for external funding from federal agencies and nonprofit foundations.

In our research series, we highlight six of these grants.