Excited State and Charge Photogeneration Dynamics in Conjugated Polymers

Spatial conformation and charge recombination properties of polythiophene derivatives with thienylene-vinylene side chains investigated by static and femtosecond spectroscopy

We report herein the photophysics of three two-dimensional polythiophene derivatives, with different lengths of thienylene-vinylene conjugated side chains, in comparison with regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). In solution, an evolution from stimulated emission to photoinduced absorption (PIA) at emission peak is discovered with increasing length of side chains, indicating larger steric hindrance by longer side chains. The exciton lifetime is reduced by a factor of five when the thienylene-vinylene side chain is prolonged to three units. In the film form, we investigate the dynamics of the two PIA bands, assigned to intrachain exciton and interchain polaron pairs, respectively. The analysis of the dynamics suggests that their intrachain exciton decays are similar to the one-dimensional P3HT. The recombination possibility of delocalized interchain polaron pairs occurring in 0.9 ps is reduced with longer thienylene-vinylene side chain samples. Compared with regioregular P3HT film, which self-organizes to form lamellae crystal morphology, the morphologies of these three two-dimensional polythiophenes are amorphous, attributed to the large steric hindrance caused by the existence of side chains. This design of polythiophene derivatives provides the reduction of recombination possibility for delocalized interchain polaron pairs generated in the polymer.

Fate of excitations in conjugated polymers: single-molecule spectroscopy reveals nonemissive "dark" regions in MEH-PPV individual chains

Single chains of the conjugated polymer MEH-PPV (poly(2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene)) were studied with wide-field fluorescence microscopy (dispersion in inert polymer matrices) and with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (chloroform solution). The fluorescence yield of individual molecules in matrices was found to be 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than that in solution and it decreased substantially with increasing chain length. It suggests that isolation of MEH-PPV molecules in polymer matrices creates favorable conditions for photogeneration of nonemissive primary excited states.

Super-Poissonian statistics of on-off jumps in blinking fluorescence of single molecules

Blinking fluorescence of a single guest molecule embedded in a polymer matrix and excited by cw laser light is considered. Such fluorescence exhibits quantum jumps from bright on-intervals to dark off-intervals, i.e., so-called on-->off jumps. A system with one type of on-intervals and with two types of off-intervals is studied. A distribution function w(N)(T) for the number N of on-->off jumps in a time interval T is derived. The distribution function is expressed via a threefold integral of three Poissonian functions, each of which relates to the corresponding exponential process in the quantum dynamics of a fluorescent impurity center. Numerical calculations of the distribution function w(N)(T) for four time intervals T of various durations are carried out. The distribution function w(N)(T) is broader as compared with the Poissonian one and has two maxima, one of which relates to observed time intervals without on-->off jumps.

Polarization portraits of single multichromophoric systems: visualizing conformation and energy transfer

A novel technique, two-dimensional (2D) polarization single-molecule imaging, is presented. It is based on measurements and analysis of fluorescence intensity as a function of excitation and emission polarization angles. The technique allows recording of full information on the steady-state polarization properties of fluorescent objects. It is particularly suitable for application to single multichromophoric systems (molecules or nanoparticles) with energy transfer (ET) between different chromophores (e.g., single fluorescent pi-conjugated polymer chains). The 2D polarization data simultaneously provide information on the conformation of the system and the efficiency of its internal excitation ET. The technique is used to characterize single chains and different kinds of chain aggregates of different conjugated polymers at different temperatures. The 2D polarization measurements reveal a dramatic difference in ET taking place in these systems. Clear temperature dependence of ET is observed for individual aggregates as well as for their statistical ensembles. Also, a dependence on solvent and aggregate size is shown. Additionally, extensive "traditional one-dimensional" polarization results on the polarization anisotropy of fluorescence excitation and emission are presented. These results and findings are discussed in relation to internal organization of the nano-objects under study.

Spectroscopic investigation of the ultrafast photoinduced dynamics in pi-conjugated terpyridines

Ultrafast light-induced processes in a series of pi-conjugated mono-, bis-, tris- and tetrakis(terpyridine) derivatives are investigated by femtosecond time-resolved spectroscopy. Non-exponential excited-state dynamics involving singlet-triplet intersystem crossing are observed which span from picoseconds to nanoseconds (see figure). Time-resolved spectroscopy is applied to investigate the ultrafast relaxation dynamics of several pi-conjugated mono-, bis-, tris- and tetrakis(terpyridine) derivatives. This particular series of structurally closely related systems was prepared applying efficient synthetic strategies and resembles key building blocks for a wide range of photoactive complexes, dendrimers and metallo-polymers with resulting potential applications, for example, in photovoltaics or as organic light-emitting diodes. Aiming for applications of supramolecular assemblies based on these recently presented terpyridine ligands a detailed knowledge of the light-induced processes of the ligands themselves represents a prerequisite. By applying femtosecond time-resolved absorption spectroscopy in concert with time-resolved fluorescence and Raman measurements, we detail the photophysical properties.

Manifestation of single macromolecule quantum dynamics in photon distribution function of blinking fluorescence

Distribution function w(N)(T) for photons created by three-level nanoparticle in time interval T under cw laser excitation is calculated for various methods of photon counting. It is found that each exponential process exp(-lambda(i)t) in quantum dynamics of three-level nanoparticle manifests itself via Poissonian function P(N)(lambda(i)t)=(lambda(i)t)(N) exp(-lambda(i)t)/N! in the photon distribution function w(N)(T). The distribution function w(N)(T) is expressed via two or three integrals of two or three Poissonian functions P(N)(lambda(i)t). The simple mathematical expression for w(N)(T) enables one to calculate photon distribution in blinking fluorescence with on and off intervals. A scaling between photon distribution function w(N)(T) and photoelectric pulse distribution function w(n)(T) is found. Comparison of the theoretical distribution w(n)(T) and the distribution measured in blinking fluorescence of single polymer molecule dPPV-PPyV and complex organic molecule 1,1(')-didodecyl-3,3,3('),3(')-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) is carried out. The theoretical distributions are able to describe those found in an experiment.

A single source femtosecond-millisecond broadband spectrometer

Time-resolved measurement of population dynamics extending over femtosecond to millisecond time scales typically requires a combination of transient absorption techniques involving different laser systems and detection schemes. The spectrometer design presented here facilitates transient absorption measurements over 12 decades with a single ultrafast laser system by picking pump and probe pulses independently from the laser oscillator pulse train. Unamplified pulses seed a photonic crystal fiber to a supercontinuum probe source for spectrally resolved measurements. The utility of the system is demonstrated by measuring triplet state dynamics following photoexcitation of vitamin B(6) in aqueous solution.

Determining the internal quantum efficiency of PbSe nanocrystal solar cells with the aid of an optical model

We determine the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of the active layer of PbSe nanocrystal (NC) back-contact Schottky solar cells by combining external quantum efficiency (EQE) and total reflectance measurements with an optical model of the device stack. The model is parametrized with the complex index of refraction of each layer in the stack as calculated from ellipsometry data. Good agreement between the experimental and modeled reflectance spectra permits a quantitative estimate of the fraction of incident light absorbed by the NC films at each wavelength, thereby yielding well-constrained QE spectra for photons absorbed only by the NCs. Using a series of devices fabricated from 5.1+/-0.4 nm diameter PbSe NCs, we show that thin NC cells achieve an EQE and an active layer IQE as high as 60+/-5% and 80+/-7%, respectively, while the QE of devices with NC layers thicker than about 150 nm falls, particularly in the blue, because of progressively greater light absorption in the field-free region of the films and enhanced recombination overall. Our results demonstrate that interference effects must be taken into account in order to calculate accurate optical generation profiles and IQE spectra for these thin film solar cells. The mixed modeling/experimental approach described here is a rigorous and powerful way to determine if multiple exciton generation (MEG) photocurrent is collected by devices with EQE<100%. On the basis of the magnitudes and shapes of the IQE spectra, we conclude that the 1,2-ethanedithiol treated NC devices studied here do not produce appreciable MEG photocurrent.

Photoconduction in amorphous organic solids

Herein, we focus on the principles of photoconduction in random semiconductors-the key processes being optical generation of charge carriers and their subsequent transport. This is not an overview of the current work in this area, but rather a highlight of elementary processes, their involvement in modern devices and a summary of recent developments and achievements. Experimental results and models are discussed briefly to visualize the mechanism of optical charge generation in pure and doped organic solids. We show current limits of models based on the Onsager theory of charge generation. After the introduction of experimental techniques to characterize charge transport, the hopping concept for transport in organic semiconductors is outlined. The peculiarities of the transport of excitons and charges in disorderd organic semiconductors are highlighted. Finally, a short discussion of ultrafast transport and single chain transport completes the review.

Insights into excitons confined to nanoscale systems: electron-hole interaction, binding energy, and photodissociation

The characteristics of nanoscale excitons--the primary excited states of nanoscale systems like conjugated polymers, molecular aggregates, carbon nanotubes, and nanocrystalline quantum dots--are examined through exploration of model systems. On the basis of a valence bond-type model, an intuition is developed for understanding and comparing nanoscale systems. In particular, electron-hole interactions are examined in detail, showing how and why they affect spectroscopy and properties such as binding energy. The relationship between the bound exciton states and the nanoscale analogue of free carriers (charge-transfer exciton states) is developed. It is shown why the electron and hole act as independent particles in this manifold of states. The outlook for the field is discussed on the basis of the picture developed in the paper, with an emphasis on exciton binding and photodissociation.