1
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Titov E. The Role of Double Excitations in Exciton Dynamics of Multiazobenzenes: Trisazobenzenophane as a Test Case. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:7482-7488. [PMID: 39011968 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c01608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Molecular exciton dynamics underlie energy and charge transfer processes in organic multichromophoric systems. A particularly interesting class of the latter is multiphotochromic systems made of molecules capable of photochemical transformations. Exciton dynamics in assemblies of photoswitches have been recently investigated using either the molecular exciton model or supermolecular configuration interaction (CI) singles, both approaches being based on a semiempirical Hamiltonian and combined with surface hopping molecular dynamics. Here, we study how inclusion of double excitations in nonadiabatic dynamics simulations affects exciton dynamics of multiazobenzenes, using trisazobenzenophane as an example. We find that both CI singles and CI singles and doubles yield virtually the same time scale of dynamical exciton localization, ∼50 fs for the studied multiazobenzene. However, inclusion of double excitations considerably affects the excited state lifetimes and isomerization quantum yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenii Titov
- University of Potsdam, Institute of Chemistry, Theoretical Chemistry, Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 24-25, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
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2
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Oldani N, Freixas VM, Ondarse-Alvarez D, Sharifzadeh S, Gibson T, Tretiak S, Fernandez-Alberti S. Electronic Couplings versus Thermal Fluctuations in the Internal Conversion of Perylene Diimides: The Battle to Localize the Exciton. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:5820-5828. [PMID: 38984946 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Energy transfer processes among units of light-harvesting homo-oligomers impact the efficiency of these materials as components in organic optoelectronic devices such as solar cells. Perylene diimide (PDI), a prototypical dye, features exceptional light absorption and highly tunable optical and electronic properties. These properties can be modulated by varying the number of PDI units and linkers between them. Herein, atomistic nonadiabatic excited state molecular dynamics is used to explore the energy transfer during the internal conversion of acetylene and diacetylene bridged dimeric and trimeric PDIs. Our simulations reveal a significant impact of the bridge type on the transient exciton localization/delocalization between units of PDI dimers. After electronic relaxation, larger exciton delocalization occurs in the PDI dimer connected by the diacetylene bridge with respect to the one connected by the shorter acetylene bridge. These changes can be rationalized by the Frenkel exciton model. We outline a technique for deriving parameters for this model using inputs provided by nonadiabatic dynamics simulations. Frenkel exciton description reveals an interplay between the relative strengths of the diagonal and off-diagonal disorders. Moreover, atomistic simulations and the Frenkel exciton model of the PDI trimer systems corroborate in detail the localization properties of the exciton on the molecular units during the internal conversion to the lowest-energy excited state when the units become effectively decoupled. Overall, atomistic nonadiabatic simulations in combination with the Frenkel exciton model can serve as a predictive framework for analyzing and predicting desired exciton traps in PDI-based oligomers designed for organic electronics and photonic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Oldani
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
| | - Victor M Freixas
- Department of Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
| | - Dianelys Ondarse-Alvarez
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
| | - Sahar Sharifzadeh
- Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Tammie Gibson
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Sergei Tretiak
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
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3
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Titov E. Visible Light Induced Exciton Dynamics and trans-to- cis Isomerization in Azobenzene Aggregates: Insights from Surface Hopping/Semiempirical Configuration Interaction Molecular Dynamics Simulations. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:8520-8532. [PMID: 38405525 PMCID: PMC10882624 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c09900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Assemblies of photochromic molecules feature exciton states, which govern photochemical and photophysical processes in multichromophoric systems. Understanding the photoinduced dynamics of the assemblies requires nonadiabatic treatment involving multiple exciton states and numerous nuclear degrees of freedom, thus posing a challenge for simulations. In this work, we address this challenge for aggregates of azobenzene, a prototypical molecular switch, performing on-the-fly surface hopping calculations combined with semiempirical configuration interaction electronic structure and augmented with transition density matrix analysis to characterize exciton evolution. Specifically, we consider excitation of azobenzene tetramers in the nπ* absorption band located in the visible (blue) part of the electromagnetic spectrum, thus extending our recent work on dynamics after ππ* excitation corresponding to the ultraviolet region [Titov, J. Phys. Chem. C2023, 127, 13678-13688]. We find that the nπ* excitons, which are initially strongly localized by ground-state conformational disorder, undergo further (very strong) localization during short-time photodynamics. This excited-state localization process is extremely ultrafast, occurring within the first 10 fs of photodynamics. We observe virtually no exciton transfer of the localized excitons in the nπ* manifold. However, the transfer may occur via secondary pathways involving ππ* states or the ground state. Moreover, we find that the nπ* quantum yields of the trans-to-cis isomerization are reduced in the aggregated state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenii Titov
- Institute of Chemistry, Theoretical
Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 24-25, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
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4
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Freixas VM, Malone W, Li X, Song H, Negrin-Yuvero H, Pérez-Castillo R, White A, Gibson TR, Makhov DV, Shalashilin DV, Zhang Y, Fedik N, Kulichenko M, Messerly R, Mohanam LN, Sharifzadeh S, Bastida A, Mukamel S, Fernandez-Alberti S, Tretiak S. NEXMD v2.0 Software Package for Nonadiabatic Excited State Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:5356-5368. [PMID: 37506288 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
We present NEXMD version 2.0, the second release of the NEXMD (Nonadiabatic EXcited-state Molecular Dynamics) software package. Across a variety of new features, NEXMD v2.0 incorporates new implementations of two hybrid quantum-classical dynamics methods, namely, Ehrenfest dynamics (EHR) and the Ab-Initio Multiple Cloning sampling technique for Multiconfigurational Ehrenfest quantum dynamics (MCE-AIMC or simply AIMC), which are alternative options to the previously implemented trajectory surface hopping (TSH) method. To illustrate these methodologies, we outline a direct comparison of these three hybrid quantum-classical dynamics methods as implemented in the same NEXMD framework, discussing their weaknesses and strengths, using the modeled photodynamics of a polyphenylene ethylene dendrimer building block as a representative example. We also describe the expanded normal-mode analysis and constraints for both the ground and excited states, newly implemented in the NEXMD v2.0 framework, which allow for a deeper analysis of the main vibrational motions involved in vibronic dynamics. Overall, NEXMD v2.0 expands the range of applications of NEXMD to a larger variety of multichromophore organic molecules and photophysical processes involving quantum coherences and persistent couplings between electronic excited states and nuclear velocity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor M Freixas
- Departments of Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
| | - Walter Malone
- Department of Physics, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama 36088, United States
| | - Xinyang Li
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Huajing Song
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Hassiel Negrin-Yuvero
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
| | - Royle Pérez-Castillo
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
| | - Alexander White
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Tammie R Gibson
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Dmitry V Makhov
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- School of Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TW, United Kingdom
| | | | - Yu Zhang
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Nikita Fedik
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Maksim Kulichenko
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Richard Messerly
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Luke Nambi Mohanam
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Sahar Sharifzadeh
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Adolfo Bastida
- Departamento de Química Física, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia 30100, Spain
| | - Shaul Mukamel
- Departments of Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States
| | | | - Sergei Tretiak
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
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5
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Negrin-Yuvero H, Freixas VM, Ondarse-Alvarez D, Alfonso-Hernandez L, Rojas-Lorenzo G, Bastida A, Tretiak S, Fernandez-Alberti S. Vibrational Funnels for Energy Transfer in Organic Chromophores. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:4673-4681. [PMID: 37167537 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c00748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Photoinduced intramolecular energy transfers in multichromophoric molecules involve nonadiabatic vibronic channels that act as energy transfer funnels. They commonly take place through specific directions of motion dictated by the nonadiabatic coupling vectors. Vibrational funnels may support persistent coherences between electronic states and sometimes delineate the presence of minor alternative energy transfer pathways. The ultimate confirmation of their role on the interchromophoric energy transfer can be achieved by performing nonadiabatic excited-state molecular dynamics simulations by selectively freezing the nuclear motions in question. Our results point out this strategy as a useful tool to identify and evaluate the impact of these vibrational funnels on the energy transfer processes and guide the in silico design of materials with tunable properties and enhanced functionalities. Our work encourages applications of this methodology to different chemical and biochemical processes such as reactive scattering and protein conformational changes, to name a few.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassiel Negrin-Yuvero
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, Bernal B1876BXD, Argentina
| | - Victor Manuel Freixas
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, Bernal B1876BXD, Argentina
| | - Dianelys Ondarse-Alvarez
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, Bernal B1876BXD, Argentina
| | - Laura Alfonso-Hernandez
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, Bernal B1876BXD, Argentina
| | - German Rojas-Lorenzo
- Departamento de Física Atómica y Molecular, Instituto Superior de Tecnologías y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad de La Habana, La Habana 10400, Cuba
| | - Adolfo Bastida
- Departamento de Química Física, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia 30100, Spain
| | - Sergei Tretiak
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos 87545, New Mexico, USA
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6
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Alfonso Hernandez L, Freixas VM, Rodriguez-Hernandez B, Tretiak S, Fernandez-Alberti S, Oldani N. Exciton-vibrational dynamics induces efficient self-trapping in a substituted nanoring. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:24095-24104. [PMID: 36178044 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp03162k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Cycloparaphenylenes, being the smallest segments of carbon nanotubes, have emerged as prototypes of the simplest carbon nanohoops. Their unique structure-dynamics-optical properties relationships have motivated a wide variety of synthesis of new related nanohoop species. Studies of how chemical changes, introduced in these new materials, lead to systems with new structural, dynamics and optical properties, expand their functionalities for optoelectronics applications. Herein, we study the effect that conjugation extension of a cycloparaphenylene through the introduction of a satellite tetraphenyl substitution has on its structural and dynamical properties. Our non-adiabatic excited state molecular dynamics simulations suggest that this substitution accelerates the electronic relaxation from the high-energy band to the lowest excited state. This is partially due to efficient conjugation achieved between specific phenyl units as introduced by the tetraphenyl substitution. We observe a particular exciton redistribution during relaxation, in which the tetraphenyl substitution plays a significant role. As a result, an efficient inter-band energy transfer takes place. Besides, the observed phonon-exciton interplay induces a significant exciton self-trapping. Our results encourage and guide the future studies of new phenyl substitutions in carbon nanorings with desired optoelectronic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Alfonso Hernandez
- Departamento de Ciencia Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina.
| | - Victor M Freixas
- Departamento de Ciencia Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina.
| | | | - Sergei Tretiak
- Theoretical Division and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | | | - Nicolas Oldani
- Departamento de Ciencia Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina.
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7
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Titov E. Effect of conformational disorder on exciton states of an azobenzene aggregate. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:24002-24006. [PMID: 36178007 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp02774g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Azobenzene is a prototypical molecular photoswitch, widely used to trigger a variety of transformations at different length scales. In systems like self-assembled monolayers or micelles, azobenzene chromophores may interact with each other, which gives rise to the emergence of exciton states. Here, using first-principles calculations, we investigate how conformational disorder (induced, e.g., by thermal fluctuations) affects localization of these states, on an example of an H-type azobenzene tetramer. We find that conformational disorder leads to (partial) exciton localization on a single-geometry level, whereas ensemble-averaging results in a delocalized picture. The ππ* and nπ* excitons at high and low temperatures are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenii Titov
- Theoretical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 24-25, 14476 Potsdam, Germany.
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8
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Titov E, Kopp T, Hoche J, Humeniuk A, Mitrić R. (De)localization dynamics of molecular excitons: comparison of mixed quantum–classical and fully quantum treatments. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:12136-12148. [DOI: 10.1039/d2cp00586g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Molecular excitons play a central role in processes of solar energy conversion, both natural and artificial. It is therefore no wonder that numerous experimental and theoretical investigations in the last...
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9
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Hu D, Peng J, Chen L, Gelin MF, Lan Z. Spectral Fingerprint of Excited-State Energy Transfer in Dendrimers through Polarization-Sensitive Transient-Absorption Pump-Probe Signals: On-the-Fly Nonadiabatic Dynamics Simulations. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:9710-9719. [PMID: 34590858 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c02640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The time-resolved polarization-sensitive transient-absorption (TA) pump-probe (PP) spectra are simulated using on-the-fly surface-hopping nonadiabatic dynamics and the doorway-window representation of nonlinear spectroscopy. A dendrimer model system composed of two linear phenylene ethynylene units (2-ring and 3-ring) is taken as an example. The ground-state bleach (GSB), stimulated emission (SE), and excited-state absorption (ESA) contributions as well as the total TA PP signals are obtained and carefully analyzed. It is shown that intramolecular excited-state energy transfer from the 2-ring unit to the 3-ring unit can be conveniently identified by employing pump and probe pulses with different polarizations. Our results demonstrate that time-resolved polarization-sensitive TA PP signals provide a powerful tool for the elucidation of excited-state energy-transfer pathways, notably in molecular systems possessing several optically bright nonadiabatically coupled electronic states with different orientations of transition dipole moments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deping Hu
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Theoretical Chemistry, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jiawei Peng
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Theoretical Chemistry, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lipeng Chen
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Maxim F Gelin
- School of Sciences, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Zhenggang Lan
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Theoretical Chemistry, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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10
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Han Y, Iduoku K, Grant G, Rasulev B, Leontyev A, Hobbie EK, Tretiak S, Kilina SV, Kilin DS. Hot Carrier Dynamics at Ligated Silicon(111) Surfaces: A Computational Study. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:7504-7511. [PMID: 34342460 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c02084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We provide a case-study for thermal grafting of benzenediazonium bromide onto a hydrogenated Si(111) surface using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) calculations. A sequence of reaction steps is identified in the AIMD trajectory, including the loss of N2 from the diazonium salt, proton transfer from the surface to the bromide ion that eliminates HBr, and deposition of the phenyl group onto the surface. We next assess the influence of the phenyl groups on photophysics of hydrogen-terminated Si(111) slabs. The nonadiabatic couplings necessary for a description of the excited-state dynamics are calculated by combining ab initio electronic structures and reduced density matrix formalism with Redfield theory. The phenyl-terminated slab shows reduced nonradiative relaxation and recombination rates of hot charge carriers in comparison with the hydrogen-terminated slab. Altogether, our results provide atomistic insights revealing that (i) the diazonium salt thermally decomposes at the surface allowing the formation of covalently bonded phenyl group, and (ii) the coverage of phenyl groups on the surface slows down charge carrier cooling driven by electron-phonon interactions, which increases photoluminescence efficiency at the near-infrared spectral region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulun Han
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States
| | - Kweeni Iduoku
- Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States
| | - Gena Grant
- Turtle Mountain Community College, 10145 BIA Road 7, PO Box 340, Belcourt, North Dakota 58316, United States
| | - Bakhtiyor Rasulev
- Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States
| | - Alexey Leontyev
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States
| | - Erik K Hobbie
- Department of Physics, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States
| | - Sergei Tretiak
- Theoretical Division and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Svetlana V Kilina
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States
| | - Dmitri S Kilin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States
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11
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Alfonso-Hernandez L, Oldani N, Athanasopoulos S, Lupton JM, Tretiak S, Fernandez-Alberti S. Photoinduced Energy Transfer in Linear Guest-Host Chromophores: A Computational Study. J Phys Chem A 2021; 125:5303-5313. [PMID: 34106721 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.1c02644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Polymer-based guest-host systems represent a promising class of materials for efficient light-emitting diodes. The energy transfer from the polymer host to the guest is the key process in light generation. Therefore, microscopic descriptions of the different mechanisms involved in the energy transfer can contribute to enlighten the basis of the highly efficient light harvesting observed in this kind of materials. Herein, the nature of intramolecular energy transfer in a dye-end-capped conjugated polymer is explored by using atomistic nonadiabatic excited-state molecular dynamics. Linear perylene end-capped (PEC) polyindenofluorenes (PIF), consisting of n (n = 2, 4, and 6) repeat units, i.e., PEC-PIFn oligomers, are considered as model systems. After photoexcitation at the oligomer absorption maximum, an initial exciton becomes self-trapped on one of the monomer units (donors). Thereafter, an efficient ultrafast through-space energy transfer from this unit to the perylene acceptor takes place. We observe that this energy transfer occurs equally well from any monomer unit on the chain. Effective specific vibronic couplings between each monomer and the acceptor are identified. These oligomer → end-cap energy transfer steps do not match with the rates predicted by Förster-type energy transfer. The through-space and through-bond mechanisms are two distinct channels of energy transfer. The former dominates the overall process, whereas the through-bond energy transfer between indenofluorene monomer units along the oligomer backbone only makes a minor contribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Alfonso-Hernandez
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
| | - N Oldani
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
| | - S Athanasopoulos
- Departamento de Física, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Avenida Universidad 30, 28911 Leganés, Madrid, Spain
| | - J M Lupton
- Institut für Angewandte und Experimentelle Physik, Universität Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - S Tretiak
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - S Fernandez-Alberti
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
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12
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Song H, Freixas VM, Fernandez-Alberti S, White AJ, Zhang Y, Mukamel S, Govind N, Tretiak S. An Ab Initio Multiple Cloning Method for Non-Adiabatic Excited-State Molecular Dynamics in NWChem. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 17:3629-3643. [PMID: 34014085 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c00131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The recently developed ab initio multiple cloning (AIMC) approach based on the multiconfigurational Ehrenfest (MCE) method provides a powerful and accurate way of describing the excited-state dynamics of molecular systems. The AIMC method is a controlled approximation to nonadiabatic dynamics with a particular strength in the proper description of decoherence effects because of the branching of vibrational wavepackets at a level crossing. Here, we report a new implementation of the AIMC algorithm in the open source NWChem computational chemistry program. The framework combines linear-response time-dependent density functional theory with Ehrenfest mean-field theory to determine the equations of motion for classical trajectories. The multidimensional wave function is decomposed into a superposition of Gaussian coherent states guided by Ehrenfest trajectories (i.e., MCE approach), which can clone with fully quantum mechanical amplitudes and phases. By using an efficient time-derivative based nonadiabatic coupling approach within the AIMC method, all observables are calculated on-the-fly in the nonadiabatic molecular dynamics process. As a representative example, we apply our implementation to study the ultrafast photoinduced electronic and vibrational energy transfer in a pyridine molecule. The effects of the cloning procedure on electronic and vibrational coherence, relaxation and unidirectional energy transfer are discussed. This new AIMC implementation provides a high-level nonadiabatic molecular dynamics framework for simulating photoexcited dynamics in complex molecular systems and experimentally relevant ultrafast spectroscopic probes, such as nonlinear coherent optical and X-ray signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huajing Song
- Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Victor M Freixas
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD, Bernal, Argentina
| | | | - Alexander J White
- Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Yu Zhang
- Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Shaul Mukamel
- Departments of Chemistry, Physics, and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Niranjan Govind
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
| | - Sergei Tretiak
- Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States.,Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
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13
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Rodríguez-Hernández B, Nelson T, Oldani N, Martínez-Mesa A, Uranga-Piña L, Segawa Y, Tretiak S, Itami K, Fernandez-Alberti S. Exciton Spatial Dynamics and Self-Trapping in Carbon Nanocages. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:224-231. [PMID: 33326240 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c03364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional cage-shaped molecules formed from chainlike structures hold potential as unique optoelectronic materials and host compounds. Their optical, structural, and dynamical features are tunable by changes in shape and size. We perform a comparison of these properties for three sizes of strained conjugated [n.n.n]carbon nanocages composed of three paraphenylene chains (bridges) of length n = 4, 5, or 6. The exciton intramolecular redistribution occurring during nonradiative relaxation has been explored using nonadiabatic excited-state molecular dynamics. Our results provide atomistic insight into the conformational features associated with the observed red- and blue-shift trends in the absorption and fluorescence spectra, respectively, with increasing nanocage size. Their internal conversion processes involve intramolecular energy transfer that leads to exciton self-trapping on a few phenylene units at the center of a single bridge. The dependence of these dynamical features on the size of the nanocage can be used to tune their host-guest chemical properties and their use for organic electronics and catenane-like applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tammie Nelson
- Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Nicolas Oldani
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
| | - Aliezer Martínez-Mesa
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
- DynAMoS (Dynamical processes in Atomic and Molecular Systems), Facultad de Física, Universidad de La Habana, San Lázaro y L, La Habana 10400, Cuba
| | - Llinersy Uranga-Piña
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
- DynAMoS (Dynamical processes in Atomic and Molecular Systems), Facultad de Física, Universidad de La Habana, San Lázaro y L, La Habana 10400, Cuba
| | - Yasutomo Segawa
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
- JST, ERATO, Itami Molecular Nanocarbon Project, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
- Institute for Molecular Science, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
- Department of Structural Molecular Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8787, Japan
| | - Sergei Tretiak
- Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
- Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Kenichiro Itami
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
- JST, ERATO, Itami Molecular Nanocarbon Project, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
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14
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Sterzenbach C, Keller TJ, Kraus D, Lupton JM, Jester SS, Höger S. Expanded all-phenylene molecular spoked wheels: cutouts of graphenylene-3. Org Chem Front 2021. [DOI: 10.1039/d1qo00876e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
All-phenylene molecular spoked wheels, cutouts of graphenylene-3, have been synthesized by intramolecular Yamamoto coupling of the respective dodecabromides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Sterzenbach
- Kekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Tristan J. Keller
- Kekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Daniel Kraus
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Universität Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - John M. Lupton
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Universität Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stefan-S. Jester
- Kekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Sigurd Höger
- Kekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
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15
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Malone W, Nebgen B, White A, Zhang Y, Song H, Bjorgaard JA, Sifain AE, Rodriguez-Hernandez B, Freixas VM, Fernandez-Alberti S, Roitberg AE, Nelson TR, Tretiak S. NEXMD Software Package for Nonadiabatic Excited State Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Chem Theory Comput 2020; 16:5771-5783. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.0c00248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Walter Malone
- Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
- Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Benjamin Nebgen
- Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Alexander White
- Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Yu Zhang
- Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Huajing Song
- Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Josiah A. Bjorgaard
- Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Andrew E. Sifain
- U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, Maryland 21005, United States
| | | | - Victor M. Freixas
- Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, Roque Saenz Peña 352, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
| | | | - Adrian E. Roitberg
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Tammie R. Nelson
- Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
- Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Sergei Tretiak
- Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
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16
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Freixas VM, Oldani N, Franklin-Mergarejo R, Tretiak S, Fernandez-Alberti S. Electronic Energy Relaxation in a Photoexcited Fully Fused Edge-Sharing Carbon Nanobelt. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:4711-4719. [PMID: 32464064 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c01351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Carbon nanobelts are cylindrical molecules composed of fully fused edge-sharing arene rings. Because of their aesthetically appealing structures, they acquire unusual optoelectronic properties that are potentially suitable for a range of applications in nanoelectronics and photonics. Nevertheless, the very limited success of their synthesis has led to their photophysical properties remaining largely unknown. Compared to that of carbon nanorings (arenes linked by single bonds), the strong structural rigidity of nanobelts prevents significant deformations away from the original high-symmetry conformation and, therefore, impacts their photophysical properties. Herein, we study the photoinduced dynamics of a successfully synthesized belt segment of (6,6)CNT (carbon nanotube). Modeling this process with nonadiabatic excited state molecular dynamics simulations uncovers the critical role played by the changes in excited state wave function localization on the different types of carbon atoms. This allows a detailed description of the excited state dynamics and spatial exciton evolution throughout the nanobelt scaffold. Our results provide detailed information about the excited state electronic properties and internal conversion rates that is potentially useful for designing nanobelts for nanoelectronic and photonic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- V M Freixas
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
| | - N Oldani
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
| | - R Franklin-Mergarejo
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
| | - S Tretiak
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - S Fernandez-Alberti
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
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17
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Smith B, Akimov AV. Modeling nonadiabatic dynamics in condensed matter materials: some recent advances and applications. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2020; 32:073001. [PMID: 31661681 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/ab5246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This review focuses on recent developments in the field of nonadiabatic molecular dynamics (NA-MD), with particular attention given to condensed-matter systems. NA-MD simulations for small molecular systems can be performed using high-level electronic structure (ES) calculations, methods accounting for the quantization of nuclear motion, and using fewer approximations in the dynamical methodology itself. Modeling condensed-matter systems imposes many limitations on various aspects of NA-MD computations, requiring approximations at various levels of theory-from the ES, to the ways in which the coupling of electrons and nuclei are accounted for. Nonetheless, the approximate treatment of NA-MD in condensed-phase materials has gained a spin lately in many applied studies. A number of advancements of the methodology and computational tools have been undertaken, including general-purpose methods, as well as those tailored to nanoscale and condensed matter systems. This review summarizes such methodological and software developments, puts them into the broader context of existing approaches, and highlights some of the challenges that remain to be solved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan Smith
- Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260-3000, United States of America
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18
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Nelson TR, White AJ, Bjorgaard JA, Sifain AE, Zhang Y, Nebgen B, Fernandez-Alberti S, Mozyrsky D, Roitberg AE, Tretiak S. Non-adiabatic Excited-State Molecular Dynamics: Theory and Applications for Modeling Photophysics in Extended Molecular Materials. Chem Rev 2020; 120:2215-2287. [PMID: 32040312 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Optically active molecular materials, such as organic conjugated polymers and biological systems, are characterized by strong coupling between electronic and vibrational degrees of freedom. Typically, simulations must go beyond the Born-Oppenheimer approximation to account for non-adiabatic coupling between excited states. Indeed, non-adiabatic dynamics is commonly associated with exciton dynamics and photophysics involving charge and energy transfer, as well as exciton dissociation and charge recombination. Understanding the photoinduced dynamics in such materials is vital to providing an accurate description of exciton formation, evolution, and decay. This interdisciplinary field has matured significantly over the past decades. Formulation of new theoretical frameworks, development of more efficient and accurate computational algorithms, and evolution of high-performance computer hardware has extended these simulations to very large molecular systems with hundreds of atoms, including numerous studies of organic semiconductors and biomolecules. In this Review, we will describe recent theoretical advances including treatment of electronic decoherence in surface-hopping methods, the role of solvent effects, trivial unavoided crossings, analysis of data based on transition densities, and efficient computational implementations of these numerical methods. We also emphasize newly developed semiclassical approaches, based on the Gaussian approximation, which retain phase and width information to account for significant decoherence and interference effects while maintaining the high efficiency of surface-hopping approaches. The above developments have been employed to successfully describe photophysics in a variety of molecular materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammie R Nelson
- Theoretical Division , Los Alamos National Laboratory , Los Alamos , New Mexico 87545 , United States
| | - Alexander J White
- Theoretical Division , Los Alamos National Laboratory , Los Alamos , New Mexico 87545 , United States
| | - Josiah A Bjorgaard
- Theoretical Division , Los Alamos National Laboratory , Los Alamos , New Mexico 87545 , United States
| | - Andrew E Sifain
- Theoretical Division , Los Alamos National Laboratory , Los Alamos , New Mexico 87545 , United States.,U.S. Army Research Laboratory , Aberdeen Proving Ground , Maryland 21005 , United States
| | - Yu Zhang
- Theoretical Division , Los Alamos National Laboratory , Los Alamos , New Mexico 87545 , United States
| | - Benjamin Nebgen
- Theoretical Division , Los Alamos National Laboratory , Los Alamos , New Mexico 87545 , United States
| | | | - Dmitry Mozyrsky
- Theoretical Division , Los Alamos National Laboratory , Los Alamos , New Mexico 87545 , United States
| | - Adrian E Roitberg
- Department of Chemistry , University of Florida , Gainesville , Florida 32611 , United States
| | - Sergei Tretiak
- Theoretical Division , Los Alamos National Laboratory , Los Alamos , New Mexico 87545 , United States
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19
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Wilhelm P, Vogelsang J, Höger S, Lupton JM. Homo-FRET in π-Conjugated Polygons: Intermediate-Strength Dipole-Dipole Coupling Makes Energy Transfer Reversible. NANO LETTERS 2019; 19:5483-5488. [PMID: 31294999 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b01998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The concept of homo-FRET is often used to describe energy transfer between like chromophores of molecular aggregates such as in π-conjugated polymers. Homo-FRET is revealed by a dynamic depolarization in fluorescence but strictly only applies to the limit of weak dipole-dipole coupling, where energy transfer occurs on time scales much longer than those of nuclear relaxation. By considering the polarization anisotropy of photoluminescence emission and excitation of model multichromophoric aggregates on the single-molecule level, we demonstrate the transition of energy-transfer dynamics from the case of weak coupling to that of strong coupling, revealing the elusive regime of intermediate-strength coupling where energy transfer between degenerate donor and acceptor chromophores becomes reversible so that information on the excitation route of the emitting chromophore is lost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Wilhelm
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik , Universität Regensburg , Universitätsstrasse 31 , 93053 Regensburg , Germany
| | - Jan Vogelsang
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik , Universität Regensburg , Universitätsstrasse 31 , 93053 Regensburg , Germany
| | - Sigurd Höger
- Kekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie , Universität Bonn , Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1 , 53121 Bonn , Germany
| | - John M Lupton
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik , Universität Regensburg , Universitätsstrasse 31 , 93053 Regensburg , Germany
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20
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Freixas VM, Ondarse-Alvarez D, Tretiak S, Makhov DV, Shalashilin DV, Fernandez-Alberti S. Photoinduced non-adiabatic energy transfer pathways in dendrimer building blocks. J Chem Phys 2019; 150:124301. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5086680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- V. M. Freixas
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
| | - D. Ondarse-Alvarez
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
| | - S. Tretiak
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - D. V. Makhov
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- School of Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TW, United Kingdom
| | - D. V. Shalashilin
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - S. Fernandez-Alberti
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET, B1876BXD Bernal, Argentina
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21
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Ondarse-Alvarez D, Nelson T, Lupton JM, Tretiak S, Fernandez-Alberti S. Let Digons be Bygones: The Fate of Excitons in Curved π-Systems. J Phys Chem Lett 2018; 9:7123-7129. [PMID: 30508376 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.8b03160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We explore the diverse origins of unpolarized absorption and emission of molecular polygons consisting of π-conjugated oligomer chains held in a bent geometry by strain controlled at the vertex units. For this purpose, we make use of atomistic nonadiabatic excited-state molecular dynamics simulations of a bichromophore molecular polygon (digon) with bent chromophore chains. Both structural and photoexcited dynamics were found to affect polarization features. Bending strain induces exciton localization on individual chromophore units of the conjugated chains. The latter display different transition dipole moment orientations, a feature not present in the linear oligomer counterparts. In addition, bending makes exciton localization very sensitive to molecular distortions induced by thermal fluctuations. The excited-state dynamics reveals an ultrafast intramolecular energy redistribution that spreads the exciton equally among spatially separated chromophore fragments within the molecular system. As a result, digons become virtually unpolarized absorbers and emitters, in agreement with recent experimental studies on the single-molecule level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tammie Nelson
- Theoretical Division, Physics and Chemistry of Materials (T-1) , Los Alamos National Laboratory , Los Alamos , New Mexico 87545 , United States
| | - John M Lupton
- Institut für Angewandte und Experimentelle Physik , Universität Regensburg , Universitätsstrasse 31 , 93053 Regensburg , Germany
| | - Sergei Tretiak
- Theoretical Division, Physics and Chemistry of Materials (T-1) , Los Alamos National Laboratory , Los Alamos , New Mexico 87545 , United States
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22
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Sifain AE, Gifford BJ, Gao DW, Lystrom L, Nelson TR, Tretiak S. NEXMD Modeling of Photoisomerization Dynamics of 4-Styrylquinoline. J Phys Chem A 2018; 122:9403-9411. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.8b09103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew E. Sifain
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-0485, United States
- Theoretical Division and Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Brendan J. Gifford
- Theoretical Division and Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - David W. Gao
- Theoretical Division and Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
- Los Alamos High School, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87544, United States
| | - Levi Lystrom
- Theoretical Division and Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States
| | - Tammie R. Nelson
- Theoretical Division and Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Sergei Tretiak
- Theoretical Division and Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
- Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
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23
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Titov E, Humeniuk A, Mitrić R. Exciton localization in excited-state dynamics of a tetracene trimer: a surface hopping LC-TDDFTB study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:25995-26007. [PMID: 30298878 DOI: 10.1039/c8cp05240a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Excitons in the molecular aggregates of chromophores are key participants in important processes such as photosynthesis or the functioning of organic photovoltaic devices. Therefore, the exploration of exciton dynamics is crucial. Here we report on exciton localization during excited-state dynamics of the recently synthesized tetracene trimer [Liu et al., Org. Lett., 2017, 19, 580]. We employ the surface hopping approach to nonadiabatic molecular dynamics in conjunction with the long-range corrected time-dependent density functional tight binding (LC-TDDFTB) method [Humeniuk and Mitrić, Comput. Phys. Commun., 2017, 221, 174]. Utilizing a set of descriptors based on the transition density matrix, we perform comprehensive analysis of exciton dynamics. The obtained results reveal an ultrafast exciton localization to a single tetracene unit of the trimer during excited-state dynamics, along with exciton transfer between units.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenii Titov
- Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Emil-Fischer-Straße 42, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
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24
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Sifain AE, Bjorgaard JA, Nelson TR, Nebgen BT, White AJ, Gifford BJ, Gao DW, Prezhdo OV, Fernandez-Alberti S, Roitberg AE, Tretiak S. Photoexcited Nonadiabatic Dynamics of Solvated Push–Pull π-Conjugated Oligomers with the NEXMD Software. J Chem Theory Comput 2018; 14:3955-3966. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.8b00103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Brendan J. Gifford
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108, United States
| | - David W. Gao
- Los Alamos High School, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87544, United States
| | | | | | - Adrian E. Roitberg
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
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25
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Hestand NJ, Spano FC. Expanded Theory of H- and J-Molecular Aggregates: The Effects of Vibronic Coupling and Intermolecular Charge Transfer. Chem Rev 2018; 118:7069-7163. [PMID: 29664617 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 739] [Impact Index Per Article: 123.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The electronic excited states of molecular aggregates and their photophysical signatures have long fascinated spectroscopists and theoreticians alike since the advent of Frenkel exciton theory almost 90 years ago. The influence of molecular packing on basic optical probes like absorption and photoluminescence was originally worked out by Kasha for aggregates dominated by Coulombic intermolecular interactions, eventually leading to the classification of J- and H-aggregates. This review outlines advances made in understanding the relationship between aggregate structure and photophysics when vibronic coupling and intermolecular charge transfer are incorporated. An assortment of packing geometries is considered from the humble molecular dimer to more exotic structures including linear and bent aggregates, two-dimensional herringbone and "HJ" aggregates, and chiral aggregates. The interplay between long-range Coulomb coupling and short-range charge-transfer-mediated coupling strongly depends on the aggregate architecture leading to a wide array of photophysical behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Hestand
- Department of Chemistry , Temple University , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19122 , United States
| | - Frank C Spano
- Department of Chemistry , Temple University , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19122 , United States
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26
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Abstract
The breaking of molecular symmetry through photoexcitation is a ubiquitous but rather elusive process, which, for example, controls the microscopic efficiency of light harvesting in molecular aggregates. A molecular excitation within a π-conjugated segment will self-localize due to strong coupling to molecular vibrations, locally changing bond alternation in a process which is fundamentally nondeterministic. Probing such symmetry breaking usually relies on polarization-resolved fluorescence, which is most powerful on the level of single molecules. Here, we explore symmetry breaking by designing a large, asymmetric acceptor-donor-acceptor (A1-D-A2) complex 10 nm in length, where excitation energy can flow from the donor, a π-conjugated oligomer, to either one of the two boron-dipyrromethene (bodipy) dye acceptors of different color. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) reveals a nondeterministic switching between the energy-transfer pathways from the oligomer to the two acceptor groups on the submillisecond timescale. We conclude that excitation energy transfer, and light harvesting in general, are fundamentally nondeterministic processes, which can be strongly perturbed by external stimuli. A simple demonstration of the relation between exciton localization within the extended π-system and energy transfer to the endcap is given by considering the selectivity of endcap emission through the polarization of the excitation light in triads with bent oligomer backbones. Bending leads to increased localization so that the molecule acquires bichromophoric characteristics in terms of its fluorescence photon statistics.
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27
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Ondarse-Alvarez D, Oldani N, Roitberg AE, Kleiman V, Tretiak S, Fernandez-Alberti S. Energy transfer and spatial scrambling of an exciton in a conjugated dendrimer. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:29648-29660. [DOI: 10.1039/c8cp05852k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Photoexcitation of multichromophoric light harvesting molecules induces a number of intramolecular electronic energy relaxation and redistribution pathways that can ultimately lead to ultrafast exciton self-trapping on a single chromophore unit.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Ondarse-Alvarez
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia
- Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET
- B1876BXD Bernal
- Argentina
| | - N. Oldani
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia
- Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET
- B1876BXD Bernal
- Argentina
| | - A. E. Roitberg
- Department of Chemistry of Chemistry
- University of Florida
- Gainesville
- USA
| | - V. Kleiman
- Department of Chemistry of Chemistry
- University of Florida
- Gainesville
- USA
| | - S. Tretiak
- Theoretical Division
- Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT)
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Los Alamos
- USA
| | - S. Fernandez-Alberti
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia
- Universidad Nacional de Quilmes/CONICET
- B1876BXD Bernal
- Argentina
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Nelson T, Fernandez-Alberti S, Roitberg AE, Tretiak S. Electronic Delocalization, Vibrational Dynamics, and Energy Transfer in Organic Chromophores. J Phys Chem Lett 2017; 8:3020-3031. [PMID: 28603994 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.7b00790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The efficiency of materials developed for solar energy and technological applications depends on the interplay between molecular architecture and light-induced electronic energy redistribution. The spatial localization of electronic excitations is very sensitive to molecular distortions. Vibrational nuclear motions can couple to electronic dynamics driving changes in localization. The electronic energy transfer among multiple chromophores arises from several distinct mechanisms that can give rise to experimentally measured signals. Atomistic simulations of coupled electron-vibrational dynamics can help uncover the nuclear motions directing energy flow. Through careful analysis of excited state wave function evolution and a useful fragmenting of multichromophore systems, through-bond transport and exciton hopping (through-space) mechanisms can be distinguished. Such insights are crucial in the interpretation of fluorescence anisotropy measurements and can aid materials design. This Perspective highlights the interconnected vibrational and electronic motions at the foundation of nonadiabatic dynamics where nuclear motions, including torsional rotations and bond vibrations, drive electronic transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammie Nelson
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory , Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | | | - Adrian E Roitberg
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida , Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Sergei Tretiak
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory , Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
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Athanasopoulos S, Alfonso Hernandez L, Beljonne D, Fernandez-Alberti S, Tretiak S. Ultrafast Non-Förster Intramolecular Donor-Acceptor Excitation Energy Transfer. J Phys Chem Lett 2017; 8:1688-1694. [PMID: 28339205 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.7b00259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Ultrafast intramolecular electronic energy transfer in a conjugated donor-acceptor system is simulated using nonadiabatic excited-state molecular dynamics. After initial site-selective photoexcitation of the donor, transition density localization is monitored throughout the S2 → S1 internal conversion process, revealing an efficient unidirectional donor → acceptor energy-transfer process. Detailed analysis of the excited-state trajectories uncovers several salient features of the energy-transfer dynamics. While a weak temperature dependence is observed during the entire electronic energy relaxation, an ultrafast initially temperature-independent process allows the molecular system to approach the S2-S1 potential energy crossing seam within the first ten femtoseconds. Efficient energy transfer occurs in the absence of spectral overlap between the donor and acceptor units and is assisted by a transient delocalization phenomenon of the excited-state wave function acquiring Frenkel-exciton character at the moment of quantum transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavros Athanasopoulos
- Departamento de Física, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid , Avenida Universidad 30, 28911 Leganés, Madrid, Spain
- Experimental Physics II, University of Bayreuth , Bayreuth 95440, Germany
| | | | - David Beljonne
- Laboratory for Chemistry of Novel Materials, University of Mons , Place du Parc 20, B-7000 Mons, Belgium
| | | | - Sergei Tretiak
- Theoretical Division, Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS) and Center for integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), Los Alamos National Laboratory , Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
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30
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Li T, Zhang D, Wang R, Fan Y, Guo X, Liu S, Ma Y, Zhao D. Synthesis, solvent-dependent emission and two-photon absorption of a triangular –[D–π–A]3– macrocycle. Org Chem Front 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/c6qo00845c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A large π–conjugated macrocycle featuring a –[D–π–A]3– backbone is synthesized, exhibiting strongly solvent-dependent fluorescence and evident two-photon absorption ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences
- Centre for the Soft Matter Science and Engineering and the Key Lab of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of the Ministry of Education
- College of Chemistry
- Peking University
- Beijing
| | - Di Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences
- Centre for the Soft Matter Science and Engineering and the Key Lab of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of the Ministry of Education
- College of Chemistry
- Peking University
- Beijing
| | - Ranran Wang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences
- Centre for the Soft Matter Science and Engineering and the Key Lab of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of the Ministry of Education
- College of Chemistry
- Peking University
- Beijing
| | - Yuanpeng Fan
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences
- Centre for the Soft Matter Science and Engineering and the Key Lab of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of the Ministry of Education
- College of Chemistry
- Peking University
- Beijing
| | - Xinyan Guo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences
- Centre for the Soft Matter Science and Engineering and the Key Lab of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of the Ministry of Education
- College of Chemistry
- Peking University
- Beijing
| | - Shuai Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences
- Centre for the Soft Matter Science and Engineering and the Key Lab of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of the Ministry of Education
- College of Chemistry
- Peking University
- Beijing
| | - Yuguo Ma
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences
- Centre for the Soft Matter Science and Engineering and the Key Lab of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of the Ministry of Education
- College of Chemistry
- Peking University
- Beijing
| | - Dahui Zhao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences
- Centre for the Soft Matter Science and Engineering and the Key Lab of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of the Ministry of Education
- College of Chemistry
- Peking University
- Beijing
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