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Brinatti Vazquez GD, Lo Gerfo Morganti G, Vasilev C, Hunter CN, van Hulst NF. Structured Excitation Energy Transfer: Tracking Exciton Diffusion below Sunlight Intensity. ACS PHOTONICS 2024; 11:1318-1326. [PMID: 38523751 PMCID: PMC10958594 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.4c00004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
With the increasing demand for new materials for light-harvesting applications, spatiotemporal microscopy techniques are receiving increasing attention as they allow direct observation of the nanoscale diffusion of excitons. However, the use of pulsed and tightly focused laser beams generates light intensities far above those expected under sunlight illumination, leading to photodamage and nonlinear effects that seriously limit the accuracy and applicability of these techniques, especially in biological or atomically thin materials. In this work, we present a novel spatiotemporal microscopy technique that exploits structured excitation in order to dramatically decrease the excitation intensity, up to 10,000-fold when compared with previously reported spatiotemporal photoluminescence microscopy experiments. We tested our method in two different systems, reporting the first exciton diffusion measurement at illumination conditions below sunlight, both considering average power and peak exciton densities in an organic photovoltaic sample (Y6), where we tracked the excitons for up to five recombination lifetimes. Next, nanometer-scale energy transport was directly observed for the first time in both space and time in a printed monolayer of the light-harvesting complex 2 from purple bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo D. Brinatti Vazquez
- ICFO-Institut
de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona 08860, Spain
| | - Giulia Lo Gerfo Morganti
- ICFO-Institut
de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona 08860, Spain
| | - Cvetelin Vasilev
- School
of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, U.K.
| | - C. Neil Hunter
- School
of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, U.K.
| | - Niek F. van Hulst
- ICFO-Institut
de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, Barcelona 08860, Spain
- ICREA-Institució
Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona 08010, Spain
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2
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Li Z, Xiao K, Wan Q, Tang R, Low KH, Cui X, Che CM. Controlled Self-assembly of Gold(I) Complexes by Multiple Kinetic Aggregation States with Nonlinear Optical and Waveguide Properties. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202216523. [PMID: 36484771 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202216523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Introduction of multiple kinetic aggregation states (Aggs) into the self-assembly pathway could bring complexity and flexibility to the self-assemblies, which is difficult to realize due to the delicate equilibria established among different Aggs bonded by weak noncovalent interactions. Here, we describe a series of chiral and achiral d10 AuI bis(N-heterocyclic carbene, NHC) complexes, and the achiral complex could undergo self-assembly with multiple kinetic Aggs. Generation of multiple kinetic Aggs was realized by applying chiral or achiral seeds exhibiting large differences in elongation temperatures for their respective cooperative self-assembly processes. We further showed that the chiral AuI self-assemblies having non-centrosymmetric packing forms exhibit nonlinear optical response of second harmonic generation (SHG), while the SHG signal is absent in the achiral analogue. The crystalline achiral AuI self-assemblies could function as optical waveguides with strong emission polarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongshang Li
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ke Xiao
- Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Qingyun Wan
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Rui Tang
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kam-Hung Low
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaodong Cui
- Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chi-Ming Che
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.,HKU Shenzhen Institute of Research & Innovation, Shenzhen, 518057, China.,Hong Kong Quantum AI Lab Limited Units 909-915, Building 17W, 17 Science Park West Avenue, Pak Shek Kok, Hong Kong, China
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Lo Gerfo
M. G, Bolzonello L, Bernal-Texca F, Martorell J, van Hulst NF. Spatiotemporal Mapping Uncouples Exciton Diffusion from Singlet-Singlet Annihilation in the Electron Acceptor Y6. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:1999-2005. [PMID: 36794828 PMCID: PMC9940293 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c03585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the spatial dynamics of nanoscale exciton transport beyond the temporal decay is essential for further improvements of nanostructured optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells. The diffusion coefficient (D) of the nonfullerene electron acceptor Y6 has so far only been determined indirectly, from singlet-singlet annihilation (SSA) experiments. Here, we present the full picture of the exciton dynamics, adding the spatial domain to the temporal one, by spatiotemporally resolved photoluminescence microscopy. In this way, we directly track diffusion and we are able to decouple the real spatial broadening from its overestimation given by SSA. We measured the diffusion coefficient, D = 0.017 ± 0.003 cm2/s, which gives a Y6 film diffusion length of L=Dτ≈35 nm. Thus, we provide an essential tool that enables a direct and free-of-artifacts determination of diffusion coefficients, which we expect to be pivotal for further studies on exciton dynamics in energy materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Lo Gerfo
M.
- ICFO
- Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08860Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luca Bolzonello
- ICFO
- Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08860Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francisco Bernal-Texca
- ICFO
- Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08860Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Martorell
- ICFO
- Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08860Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament
de Física, Universitat Politècnica
de Catalunya, Terrassa08222, Spain
| | - Niek F. van Hulst
- ICFO
- Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08860Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona08010, Spain
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Wan Q, Xiao K, Li Z, Yang J, Kim JT, Cui X, Che CM. Optical Signal Modulation in Photonic Waveguiding Heteroarchitectures with Continuously Variable Visible-To-Near-Infrared Emission Color. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2204839. [PMID: 36099543 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202204839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Photonic circuit systems based on optical waveguiding heteroarchitectures have attracted considerable interest owing to their potential to overcome the speed limitation in electronic circuits by modulating the optical signal at the micro- or nanoscale. However, controlling the parameters, including the wavelength and polarization of the light outcoupling, as well as the sequence among different building blocks, remains a key issue. Herein, supramolecular heteroarchitectures made by phosphorescent organometallic complexes of Pt, Pd, Cu, and Au are applied as photonic logic gates that show continuously variable emission colors from 475 to 810 nm, low waveguide losses down to 0.0077 dB µm-1 , and remarkable excitation-light polarization-dependent photoluminescence with anisotropy ratios up to 0.68. The sequences among Pt, Pd, Au, and Cu building blocks in the heteroarchitectures are controlled by living supramolecular polymerization or crystallization-driven self-assembly synthetic approaches. The results indicate the prospects for using organometallic complexes and supramolecular synthetic approaches to prepare photonic circuit systems with tunable emission color and controllable sequences among different blocks that achieve modulation of the optical signal in the visible-to-near-infrared spectral region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyun Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ke Xiao
- Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zongshang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jihyuk Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hong Kong Quantum AI Lab Limited Units 909-915, Building 17W, 17 Science Park West Avenue, Pak Shek Kok, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ji Tae Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xiaodong Cui
- Department of Physics, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chi-Ming Che
- State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
- HKU Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518057, P. R. China
- Hong Kong Quantum AI Lab Limited Units 909-915, Building 17W, 17 Science Park West Avenue, Pak Shek Kok, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Jang SJ, Burghardt I, Hsu CP, Bardeen CJ. Excitons: Energetics and spatiotemporal dynamics. J Chem Phys 2021; 155:200401. [PMID: 34852498 DOI: 10.1063/5.0075292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Seogjoo J Jang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Queens, New York 11367, USA and PhD Programs in Chemistry and Physics, and Initiative for the Theoretical Sciences, Graduate Center, City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Irene Burghardt
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Chao-Ping Hsu
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan and Physics Division, National Center for Theoretical Sciences, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Christopher J Bardeen
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, USA
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Wittmann B, Biskup T, Kreger K, Köhler J, Schmidt HW, Hildner R. All-optical manipulation of singlet exciton transport in individual supramolecular nanostructures by triplet gating. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2021; 6:998-1005. [PMID: 34731228 DOI: 10.1039/d1nh00514f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Directed transport of singlet excitation energy is a key process in natural light-harvesting systems and a desired feature in assemblies of functional organic molecules for organic electronics and nanotechnology applications. However, progress in this direction is hampered by the lack of concepts and model systems. Here we demonstrate an all-optical approach to manipulate singlet exciton transport pathways within supramolecular nanostructures via singlet-triplet annihilation, i.e., to enforce an effective motion of singlet excitons along a predefined direction. For this proof-of-concept, we locally photo-generate a long-lived triplet exciton population and subsequently a singlet exciton population on single bundles of H-type supramolecular nanofibres using two temporally and spatially separated laser pulses. The local triplet exciton population operates as a gate for the singlet exciton transport since singlet-triplet annihilation hinders singlet exciton motion across the triplet population. We visualize this manipulation of singlet exciton transport via the fluorescence signal from the singlet excitons, using a detection-beam scanning approach combined with time-correlated single-photon counting. Our reversible, all-optical manipulation of singlet exciton transport can pave the way to realising new design principles for functional photonic nanodevices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd Wittmann
- Spectroscopy of Soft Matter, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Till Biskup
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Klaus Kreger
- Macromolecular Chemistry I, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bavarian Polymer Institute, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Jürgen Köhler
- Spectroscopy of Soft Matter, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bavarian Polymer Institute, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bayreuth Institute of Macromolecular Research (BIMF), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Hans-Werner Schmidt
- Macromolecular Chemistry I, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
- Bavarian Polymer Institute, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Richard Hildner
- Spectroscopy of Soft Matter, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
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