Photoconducting Devices with Response in the Visible–Near-Infrared Region Based on Neutral Ni Complexes of Aryl-1,2-dithiolene Ligands

Metal bis­(1,2-dithiolene) complexes belonging to the class [Ni­(Ar-edt)2] x− [Ar-edt2– = arylethylene-1,2-dithiolate; Ar = phenyl, (1 x– ), 2-naphthyl (2 x– ); x = 0 and 1] were fully characterized by NMR, UV–visible–near-infrared (UV–vis–NIR), diffuse reflectance, and FT-IR spectroscopy, as well as cyclic voltammetry and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. These complexes have emerged as new photoconducting materials that allowed for the development of a prototype of photodetectors with response in the vis–NIR region. The photodetecting devices showed in some cases quantum efficiencies orders of magnitude higher than those of previously reported 1,2-dithiolene systems.