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de Clercq DM, Collins MI, Sloane NP, Feng J, McCamey DR, Tayebjee MJY, Nielsen MP, Schmidt TW. Singlet fission in TIPS-anthracene thin films. Chem Sci 2024; 15:6402-6409. [PMID: 38699250 PMCID: PMC11062091 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc06774b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Singlet fission is an exciton multiplication process that allows for the conversion of one singlet exciton into two triplet excitons. Organic semiconductors, such as acenes and their soluble bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) (TIPS) substituted counterparts, have played a major role in elucidating the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of singlet fission. Despite this, one prominent member of the acene family that has received little experimental attention to date is TIPS-anthracene, even with computational studies suggesting potential high singlet fission yields in the solid state. Here, time-resolved spectroscopic and magneto-photoluminescence measurements were performed on spin-cast films of TIPS-anthracene, showing evidence for singlet fission. A singlet fission yield of 19% (out of 200%) is estimated from transient absorption spectroscopy. Kinetic modeling of the magnetic field effect on photoluminescence suggests that fast rates of triplet dissociation lead to a low magnetic photoluminescence effect and that non-radiative decay of both the S1 and 1(TT) states is the cause for the low triplet yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damon M de Clercq
- School of Chemistry, ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Miles I Collins
- School of Physics, ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Nicholas P Sloane
- School of Physics, ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Jiale Feng
- School of Chemistry, ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Dane R McCamey
- School of Physics, ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Murad J Y Tayebjee
- School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Michael P Nielsen
- School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Timothy W Schmidt
- School of Chemistry, ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
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2
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Unger F, Lepple D, Asbach M, Craciunescu L, Zeiser C, Kandolf AF, Fišer Z, Hagara J, Hagenlocher J, Hiller S, Haug S, Deutsch M, Grüninger P, Novák J, Bettinger HF, Broch K, Engels B, Schreiber F. Optical Absorption Properties in Pentacene/Tetracene Solid Solutions. J Phys Chem A 2024; 128:747-760. [PMID: 38232326 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.3c06737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Modifying the optical and electronic properties of crystalline organic thin films is of great interest for improving the performance of modern organic semiconductor devices. Therein, the statistical mixing of molecules to form a solid solution provides an opportunity to fine-tune optical and electronic properties. Unfortunately, the diversity of intermolecular interactions renders mixed organic crystals highly complex, and a holistic picture is still lacking. Here, we report a study of the optical absorption properties in solid solutions of pentacene and tetracene, two prototypical organic semiconductors. In the mixtures, the optical properties can be continuously modified by statistical mixing at the molecular level. Comparison with time-dependent density functional theory calculations on occupationally disordered clusters unravels the electronic origin of the low energy optical transitions. The disorder partially relaxes the selection rules, leading to additional optical transitions that manifest as optical broadening. Furthermore, the contribution of diabatic charge-transfer states is modified in the mixtures, reducing the observed splitting in the 0-0 vibronic transition. Additional comparisons with other blended systems generalize our results and indicate that changes in the polarizability of the molecular environment in organic thin-film blends induce shifts in the absorption spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederik Unger
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Lepple
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Maximilian Asbach
- Julius-Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Luca Craciunescu
- Julius-Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
- Institute of Chemical Sciences, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS Scotland, U.K
| | - Clemens Zeiser
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas F Kandolf
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Zbyněk Fišer
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics (UFKL), Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Hagara
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jan Hagenlocher
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Hiller
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sara Haug
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marian Deutsch
- Julius-Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Peter Grüninger
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jiří Novák
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics (UFKL), Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Holger F Bettinger
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Katharina Broch
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bernd Engels
- Julius-Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Frank Schreiber
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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3
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Craciunescu L, Asbach M, Wirsing S, Hammer S, Unger F, Broch K, Schreiber F, Witte G, Dreuw A, Tegeder P, Fantuzzi F, Engels B. Cluster-Based Approach Utilizing Optimally Tuned TD-DFT to Calculate Absorption Spectra of Organic Semiconductor Thin Films. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:9369-9387. [PMID: 38073092 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c01107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
The photophysics of organic semiconductor (OSC) thin films or crystals has garnered significant attention in recent years since a comprehensive theoretical understanding of the various processes occurring upon photoexcitation is crucial for assessing the efficiency of OSC materials. To date, research in this area has relied on methods using Frenkel-Holstein Hamiltonians, calculations of the GW-Bethe-Salpeter equation with periodic boundaries, or cluster-based approaches using quantum chemical methods, with each of the three approaches having distinct advantages and disadvantages. In this work, we introduce an optimally tuned, range-separated time-dependent density functional theory approach to accurately reproduce the total and polarization-resolved absorption spectra of pentacene, tetracene, and perylene thin films, all representative OSC materials. Our approach achieves excellent agreement with experimental data (mostly ≤0.1 eV) when combined with the utilization of clusters comprising multiple monomers and a standard polarizable continuum model to simulate the thin-film environment. Our protocol therefore addresses a major drawback of cluster-based approaches and makes them attractive tools for OSC investigations. Its key advantages include its independence from external, system-specific fitting parameters and its straightforward application with well-known quantum chemical program codes. It demonstrates how chemical intuition can help to reduce computational cost and still arrive at chemically meaningful and almost quantitative results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Craciunescu
- Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Emil-Fischer-Str. 42, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
- Institute of Chemical Sciences, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS Scotland, U.K
| | - Maximilian Asbach
- Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Emil-Fischer-Str. 42, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sara Wirsing
- Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Emil-Fischer-Str. 42, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Hammer
- Experimentelle Physik VI, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
- Center for the Physics of Materials, Department of Physics and Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. W, Montreal, H3A 2K6 Québec, Canada
| | - Frederik Unger
- Institut für Angewandte Physik, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Katharina Broch
- Institut für Angewandte Physik, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Frank Schreiber
- Institut für Angewandte Physik, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Gregor Witte
- Molekulare Festkörperphysik, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Dreuw
- Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Wissenschaftliches Rechnen, Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 205, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Petra Tegeder
- Physikalisch-Chemisches Institut, Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 253, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Felipe Fantuzzi
- School of Chemistry and Forensic Science, University of Kent, Park Wood Rd, CT2 7NH Canterbury, U.K
| | - Bernd Engels
- Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Emil-Fischer-Str. 42, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
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4
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He G, Churchill EM, Parenti KR, Zhang J, Narayanan P, Namata F, Malkoch M, Congreve DN, Cacciuto A, Sfeir MY, Campos LM. Promoting multiexciton interactions in singlet fission and triplet fusion upconversion dendrimers. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6080. [PMID: 37770472 PMCID: PMC10539328 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41818-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Singlet fission and triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion are two multiexciton processes intimately related to the dynamic interaction between one high-lying energy singlet and two low-lying energy triplet excitons. Here, we introduce a series of dendritic macromolecules that serve as platform to study the effect of interchromophore interactions on the dynamics of multiexciton generation and decay as a function of dendrimer generation. The dendrimers (generations 1-4) consist of trimethylolpropane core and 2,2-bis(methylol)propionic acid (bis-MPA) dendrons that provide exponential growth of the branches, leading to a corona decorated with pentacenes for SF or anthracenes for TTA-UC. The findings reveal a trend where a few highly ordered sites emerge as the dendrimer generation grows, dominating the multiexciton dynamics, as deduced from optical spectra, and transient absorption spectroscopy. While the dendritic structures enhance TTA-UC at low annihilator concentrations in the largest dendrimers, the paired chromophore interactions induce a broadened and red-shifted excimer emission. In SF dendrimers of higher generations, the triplet dynamics become increasingly dominated by pairwise sites exhibiting strong coupling (Type II), which can be readily distinguished from sites with weaker coupling (Type I) by their spectral dynamics and decay kinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guiying He
- Department of Physics, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Photonics Initiative, Advanced Science Research Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Emily M Churchill
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Kaia R Parenti
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Jocelyn Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Pournima Narayanan
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Faridah Namata
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, SE-100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael Malkoch
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, SE-100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daniel N Congreve
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Angelo Cacciuto
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Matthew Y Sfeir
- Department of Physics, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Photonics Initiative, Advanced Science Research Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA.
| | - Luis M Campos
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
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5
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He G, Yablon LM, Parenti KR, Fallon KJ, Campos LM, Sfeir MY. Quantifying Exciton Transport in Singlet Fission Diblock Copolymers. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:3269-3278. [PMID: 35166107 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c13456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Singlet fission (SF) is a mechanism of exciton multiplication in organic chromophores, which has potential to drive highly efficient optoelectronic devices. Creating effective device architectures that operate by SF critically depends on electronic interactions across multiple length scales─from individual molecules to interchromophore interactions that facilitate multiexciton dephasing and exciton diffusion toward donor-acceptor interfaces. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the underpinnings of multiexciton transport and interfacial energy transfer in multichromophore systems. Interestingly, block copolymers (BCPs) can be designed to control multiscale interactions by tailoring the nature of the building blocks, yet SF dynamics are not well understood in these macromolecules. Here, we designed diblock copolymers comprising an inherent energy cleft at the interface between a block with pendent pentacene chromophores and an additional block with pendent tetracene chromophores. The singlet and triplet energy offset between the two blocks creates a driving force for exciton transport along the BCP chain in dilute solution. Using time-resolved optical spectroscopy, we have quantified the yields of key energy transfer steps, including both singlet and triplet energy transfer processes across the pentacene-tetracene interface. From this modular BCP architecture, we correlate the energy transfer time scales and relative yields with the length of each block. The ability to quantify these energy transfer processes provides valuable insights into exciton transport at critical length scales between bulk crystalline systems and small-molecule dimers─an area that has been underexplored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guiying He
- Department of Physics, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York 10016, United States.,Photonics Initiative, Advanced Science Research Center, City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, United States
| | - Lauren M Yablon
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Kaia R Parenti
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Kealan J Fallon
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Luis M Campos
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Matthew Y Sfeir
- Department of Physics, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York 10016, United States.,Photonics Initiative, Advanced Science Research Center, City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, United States
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6
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Huang Y, Gong Q, Ge J, Tang P, Yu F, Xiao L, Wang Z, Sun H, Yu J, Li DS, Xiong Q, Zhang Q. Green Grinding-Coassembly Engineering toward Intrinsically Luminescent Tetracene in Cocrystals. ACS NANO 2020; 14:15962-15972. [PMID: 33112602 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c07416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Developing an effective and green method toward organic functional cocrystals based on the solubility-mismatched coformers is highly desirable and very important. Herein, we applied a green two-step liquid-assisted-grinding coassembly (LAGC) in fabricating tetracene-octafluoronaphthalene (TC-OFN) cocrystals from solubility-mismatched pairs of tetracene (TC, poorly soluble, 0.2 mg mL-1) and octafluoronaphthalene (OFN, highly soluble, 0.2 × 104 mg mL-1). Such cocrystals are extremely difficult to prepare through the common solution-processing strategies. More importantly, this two-step LAGC process could allow us to efficiently prepare TC-OFN cocrystals in gram scale. The as-prepared cocrystals displayed the intrinsic green emission of TC with much higher photoluminescence quantum yield (13.75%) comparing with the pure solid TC with the almost-quenched emission (0.41%, aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ)). The ultrafast spectra study on these cocrystals verifies the successful barrier function of OFN molecules in interrupting the well-known singlet fission (SF) in TC solids. Furthermore, this method can allow us to easily fabricate fluorescent TC-OFN water inks, which can be employed to prepare luminescent paintings or highly emissive ultratransparent/flexible films.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinjuan Huang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Qiuyu Gong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Jing Ge
- Division of Physics & Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematics Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Pengpeng Tang
- Nanjing Tsinghe Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210001, China
| | - Fei Yu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Lian Xiao
- Division of Physics & Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematics Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Zongrui Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Handong Sun
- Division of Physics & Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematics Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Jing Yu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Dong-Sheng Li
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443002, China
| | - Qihua Xiong
- Division of Physics & Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematics Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Qichun Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
- Department Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
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7
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Zeiser C, Moretti L, Lepple D, Cerullo G, Maiuri M, Broch K. Singlet Heterofission in Tetracene-Pentacene Thin-Film Blends. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:19966-19973. [PMID: 32761935 PMCID: PMC7820980 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202007412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Heterofission is a photophysical process of fundamental and applied interest whereby an excited singlet state is converted into two triplets on chemically distinct chromophores. The potential of this process lies in the tuning of both the optical band gap and the splitting between singlet and triplet energies. Herein, we report the time‐domain observation of heterofission in mixed thin films of the prototypical singlet fission chromophores pentacene and tetracene using excitation wavelengths above and below the tetracene band gap. We found a time constant of 26 ps for endothermic heterofission of a singlet exciton on pentacene in blends with low pentacene fractions, which was outcompeted by pentacene homofission for increasing pentacene concentrations. Direct excitation of tetracene lead to fast energy transfer to pentacene and subsequent singlet fission, which prevented homo‐ or heterofission of a singlet exciton on tetracene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemens Zeiser
- Institute for Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Luca Moretti
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniel Lepple
- Institute for Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Giulio Cerullo
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, Milan, Italy
| | - Margherita Maiuri
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, Milan, Italy
| | - Katharina Broch
- Institute for Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
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