Organic light-emitting transistors (OLETs) combine the light-emitting and gate-modulated electrical switching functions in a single device. Over the past two decades, progress has been made in developing new fluorescent semiconductors and device engineering to improve the properties of OLETs. In this paper, we give a brief review of the achievement and disadvantages of the present polymer-based OLETs, while highlighting the recent developments in semi-ladder polymers from our lab for new electroluminescent materials. The special folded molecular structures and unique aggregation states make these polymers suitable for exploration as OLET materials. A short conclusion is provided with a discussion on the challenges and future perspectives in this field.
