Photocurrent Generation Research Articles

Long range push-pull based NIR switching and photovoltaic optimization as energetic offset novel study design of novel quinazoline anchoring dyes

This study investigates the photovoltaic (PV) properties, their energetic offset correlations of quinazoline-based push-pull switches. It finds an interesting correlation between their band-gaps and the rotational velocities with a linear fit value of 0.78. Also, their larger positive offsets up to 1011 by their open circuit voltage (Voc) tend to facilitated their efficient electron injection, leading to an improved photocurrent generation for device performance. Through push-pull phenomenon, a highest λmax of 574 nm was attained for the dye T5. Their PV performance of the was calculated as Voc, short circuit current (Jsc), and light harvesting efficiency (LHE) as 0.05–0.81 eV, 28.52–40.10 mA/cm2 and 0.65–0.87 respectively. Their transition density matrix (TDM) maps showed an enhancement of electron injection with the use of a more intense electron acceptor. This study advances understanding of the PV properties of quinazoline-based switches for developing PV devices. Their further research can lead to high-performance PV systems.

Functional Coupling of Biohybrid Photosynthetic Antennae and Reaction Center Complexes: Quantitative Comparison with Native Antennae.

Light-harvesting (LH) complexes in photosynthetic organisms absorb photons within limited wavelength ranges over a broad solar spectrum. Extension of the LH wavelength has been realized by attaching artificial fluorophores to LH complexes (biohybrid LH complexes) for complementing the limited-wavelength regions. However, how efficiently such fluorophores in biohybrid LH complexes function to drive the photocatalytic reaction center (RC) has not been quantitatively evaluated, specifically in comparison with native LH antenna complexes. In this study, we prepared various biohybrid LH1-RC complexes (from Rhodopseudomonas palustris), to quantitatively evaluate the LH activity of the attached external chromophores through a photocurrent generation reaction by LH1-RC on an electrode. For a direct comparison of the LH activity among the LH chromophores that were examined, we introduced the k1 term, which represents the extent of the functional coupling of LH and the photochemical reactions in the RC. We determined that the hydrophobic fluorophore ATTO647N attached to LH1 possesses the highest LH activity among the examined hydrophilic fluorophores such as Alexa647, and its activity is comparable to that of native LH1(-RC). The LH activity of LH2 (from Rhodoblastus acidophilus strain 10050) and its biohybrid LH2s were examined for the comprehensive assessment of their LH activity.

Efficient Carrier Transport in 2D Bi2O2Se/CsBi3I10 Perovskite Heterojunction Enables Highly-Sensitive Broadband Photodetection.

2D Bi2O2Se has recently garnered significant attention in the electronics and optoelectronics fields due to its remarkable photosensitivity, broad spectral absorption, and excellent long-term environmental stability. However, the development of integrated Bi2O2Se photodetector with high performance and low-power consumption is limited by material synthesis method and the inherent high carrier concentration of Bi2O2Se. Here, a type-I heterojunction is presented, comprising 2D Bi2O2Se and lead-free bismuth perovskite CsBi3I10, for fast response and broadband detection. Through effective charge transfer and strong coupling effect at the interfaces of Bi2O2Se and CsBi3I10, the response time is accelerated to 4.1 µs, and the detection range is expanded from ultraviolet to near-infrared spectral regions (365-1500nm). The as-fabricated photodetector exhibits a responsivity of 48.63 AW-1 and a detectivity of 1.22×1012 Jones at 808nm. Moreover, efficient modulation of the dominant photocurrent generation mechanism from photoconductive to photogating effect leads to sensitive response exceeding 103 AW-1 for heterojunction-based photo field effect transistor (photo-FETs). Utilizing the large-scale growth of both Bi2O2Se and CsBi3I10, the as-fabricated integrated photodetector array demonstrates outstanding homogeneity and stability of photo-response performance. The proposed 2D Bi2O2Se/CsBi3I10 perovskite heterojunction holds promising prospects for the future-generation photodetector arrays and integrated optoelectronic systems.

Flexible top-illuminated organic photodetector using an ultrathin-metal-based transparent electrode

Top-illuminated structure facilitates the integration of organic photodetectors (OPDs) into high-resolution flexible wearable light detection systems by allowing the OPDs to be deposited on the bottom readout circuit. However, constructing this structure poses a challenge as it demands metallic electrodes with both high optical transparency and high electrical conductivity. But to achieve practical sheet resistances, most semitransparent metallic electrodes tend to reflect a large portion of incident light instead of allowing it to be absorbed by the photoactive layer of the OPDs. This, in turn, results in reduced photocurrent generation. To address this issue, a semiconducting germanium (Ge) film is introduced into a sliver (Ag) film, effectively reducing its reflectivity by lessening scattering. The Ge film also changes how the Ag film grows, further reducing its absorption by lowering the critical thickness needed for forming a continuous film. This approach yields a 10 nm metallic electrode with a transmittance of 70%, a reflectivity of 12%, and a sheet resistance of 35.5 Ω/□. Using this metallic electrode, flexible OPDs exhibit a high photo-to-dark current ratio of 2.9×104 and improved mechanical properties. This finding highlights the benefits of the top-illuminated structure, which effectively reduces losses caused by waveguided modes of the incident light.

Improving Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Photocurrent Performance based on Titanium Dioxide Photoanode Thickness

The thickness of the photoanode film in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) is a crucial parameter for optimum power conversion efficiency. The thick film can provide a high generation rate of a free electron, and at the same time, the charge recombination of electrons also increases. Therefore, there is competition between electron generation and charge recombination, which can cause the decreased performance of the DSSC. Meanwhile, the thinner film can reduce the charge recombination, but the dye loading on titanium dioxide (TiO2) will be low, which also can downgrade the DSSC performance. Therefore, optimised thickness from the current-voltage characteristic to understand the effect of thickness on efficiency and photocurrent generation. The result shows that the optimum thickness is 3 layers of scotch tape with short-circuit current density and efficiency of 10.96 mA/cm2 and 3.81 %.

Disorder-induced bulk photovoltaic effect in a centrosymmetric van der Waals material

Sunlight is widely seen as one of the most abundant forms of renewable energy, with photovoltaic cells based on pn junctions being the most commonly used platform attempting to harness it. Unlike in conventional photovoltaic cells, the bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) allows for the generation of photocurrent and photovoltage in a single material without the need to engineer a pn junction and create a built-in electric field, thus offering a solution that can potentially exceed the Shockley–Queisser efficiency limit. However, it requires a material with no inversion symmetry and is therefore absent in centrosymmetric materials. Here, we demonstrate that breaking the inversion symmetry by structural disorder can induce BPVE in ultrathin PtSe2, a centrosymmetric semiconducting van der Waals material. Homogenous illumination of defective PtSe2 by linearly and circularly polarized light results in a photoresponse termed as linear photogalvanic effect (LPGE) and circular photogalvanic effect (CPGE), which is mostly absent in the pristine crystal. First-principles calculations reveal that LPGE originates from Se vacancies that act as asymmetric scattering centers for the photo-generated electron-hole pairs. Our work emphasizes the importance of defects to induce photovoltaic functionality in centrosymmetric materials and shows how the range of materials suitable for light sensing and energy-harvesting applications can be extended.

Aniline and Indoline Donors Based Far‐Red Active Unsymmetrical Squaraine Dyes for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

AbstractIn dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSC), controlling the dye‐aggregation on the metal‐oxide surface by appending the alkyl groups around the donor or π‐spacer unit of the dye is a potential approach to enhance DSSC efficiency. Further, rigidification of the dye structures by cyclization modulates the photophysical properties of the sensitizer. Here a series of donor‐acceptor‐donor (D‐A‐D) type far‐red active unsymmetrical squaraine dyes (SQA) have been designed and synthesized, where N,N‐dimethylaniline, methylated‐ and branched‐indoline have been used as donor units. These dyes showed absorption between 629–654 nm (λmax) with the molar extinction coefficient of 1.49–1.94×105 M−1 cm−1. Systematic enhancements in DSSC device efficiency have been observed due to the cyclization and alkyl‐groups incorporation in this set of dyes which were further enhanced with the addition of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA). The highest DSSC device efficiency of 4.78 % (Jsc of 8.77 mA/cm2 and Voc of 692 mV) has been achieved for SQA3. The IPCE profile of SQA dyes indicates the contribution of aggregated structures for the photocurrent generation. Further, co‐sensitization of SQA3 dye with a complementary visible light active dye AK4 showed the enhanced device efficiency of 6.27 % with panchromatic IPCE response.

Enhanced Broadband Photodetection with Geometry and Interface Engineered Nanocrystalline Graphite

AbstractPhotodetection across the near‐infrared (NIR) to short‐wavelength infrared (SWIR) spectrum is important for many applications. This study explores photodetection using nanocrystalline graphite (NCG) in a suspended, narrow constriction configuration for improved performance. Bowtie constrictions are fabricated in both suspended and substrate‐supported NCG devices, allowing for accurate comparison. It shows that the suspended constriction enhances the bolometric photoresponse and sensor detectivity by several orders of magnitude compared to the substrate‐supported counterparts, attributed to reduced thermalization and electric field concentration. The suspended configuration preserves a spectrally flat photoresponse while reducing operating voltage through a tailored NCG layer thickness. Chromatic aberration‐corrected photocurrent spectroscopy is used to measure the photoresponse from 1100 to 1700 nm, and diffraction‐limited hyperspectral photocurrent imaging is conducted to measure the local photocurrent generation across the device. Bolometric and photo‐thermoelectric currents are restricted to the suspended central constriction due to electric field concentration and thermal decoupling and the direction of the photocurrents within the sensor is revealed. The experimental data is complemented by simulations of the light absorption and the electric field distribution. This work indicates the importance of geometry and thermal decoupling for boosting device performance, offering promising prospects for sensitive and low‐power NCG‐based photodetectors in the NIR‐SWIR range.

Yellow TiO2 from titanium peroxo complexes: Verification of the visible light activity and a rational enhancement of its photocatalytic efficiency

It is widely believed that colored TiO2 materials (yellow, blue, black, violet, etc.) are visible-light active photocatalysts. In this article, we verify this claim with respect to the yellow TiO2 photocatalyst that has been synthesized using peroxo-titanium complexes formation route. The surface oxygen species, the electronic structure, the photoelectrochemical properties, and the photoactivity of yellow TiO2 have been investigated. FT-IR and XPS analysis confirms the presence of surface peroxo-species that caused the yellow color. Spectroelectrochemical measurements confirmed the absorption of violet light (400–430 nm). The reduced band gap energy (3.05 eV) has resulted from the anodic shift of both conduction and valence band edges by 0.30 and 0.15 eV, respectively. However, the wavelength-dependent photocurrent generation by yellow TiO2 in the presence of oxygen and under deaerated conditions proved that it does not contribute to the photoactivity enhancement in the visible region (λ > 400 nm). The proposed mechanism has shown that although the driving force at the oxidation side is theoretically improved, the reduction counterpart is parallelly weakened and the photoinduced electrons cannot efficiently reduce regular electron acceptors in aqueous systems (e.g., O2, H2O). Adding a low amount of a stronger electron acceptor (e.g., H2O2) into the system provides extra HO• radicals through the reductive mechanism. At higher concentrations of H2O2, the oxidation of H2O2 is more favorable. The hydroxylation of terephthalic acid via the oxidative and reductive pathway along with the bleaching of Congo Red indicates improved photocatalytic activity due to enhanced hydrogen peroxide activation. Although yellow TiO2 is active only upon UV light irradiation, this paper reports how to boost the photocatalytic activity of this material.

Mesostructured Materials with Controllable Long-Range Orientational Ordering and Anisotropic Properties.

Inorganic-organic mesophase materials provide a wide range of tunable properties, which are often highly dependent on their nano-, micro-, or meso-scale compositions and structures. Among these are macroscopic orientational order and corresponding anisotropic material properties, the adjustability of which are difficult to achieve. This is due to the complicated transient and coupled transport, chemical reaction, and surface processes that occur during material syntheses. By understanding such processes, general criteria are established and used to prepare diverse mesostructured materials with highly aligned channels with uniform nanometer dimensions and controllable directionalities over macroscopic dimensions and thicknesses. This is achieved by using a micropatterned semipermeable poly(dimethylsiloxane) stamp to manage the rates, directions, and surfaces at which self-assembling phases nucleate and the directions that they grow. This enables mesostructured surfactant-directed silica and titania composites, including with functional guest species, and mesoporous carbons to be prepared with high degrees of hexagonal order, as well as controllable orthogonal macroscopic orientational order. The resulting materials exhibit novel anisotropic properties, as demonstrated by the example of direction-dependent photocurrent generation, and are promising for enhancing the functionality of inorganic-organic nanocomposite materials in separations, catalysis, and energy conversion applications.

Time-domain observation of interlayer exciton formation and thermalization in a MoSe2/WSe2 heterostructure

Vertical heterostructures of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) host interlayer excitons with electrons and holes residing in different layers. With respect to their intralayer counterparts, interlayer excitons feature longer lifetimes and diffusion lengths, paving the way for room temperature excitonic optoelectronic devices. The interlayer exciton formation process and its underlying physical mechanisms are largely unexplored. Here we use ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy with a broadband white-light probe to simultaneously resolve interlayer charge transfer and interlayer exciton formation dynamics in a MoSe2/WSe2 heterostructure. We observe an interlayer exciton formation timescale nearly an order of magnitude (~1 ps) longer than the interlayer charge transfer time (~100 fs). Microscopic calculations attribute this relative delay to an interplay of a phonon-assisted interlayer exciton cascade and thermalization, and excitonic wave-function overlap. Our results may explain the efficient photocurrent generation observed in optoelectronic devices based on TMD heterostructures, as the interlayer excitons are able to dissociate during thermalization.

Ultrafast helicity-dependent photocurrents in Weyl Magnet Mn3Sn

Mn3Sn is a material that has attracted a lot of attention lately for its topologically non-trivial band structure, which leads to very promising spintronic properties. In this work we experimentally demonstrate that an epitaxially grown thin film of Mn3Sn acts as a source of THz radiation at room temperature when irradiated by a femtosecond laser pulse. By combining various experimental measurements as a function of pump polarisation, magnetic field, and sample orientation we are able to explain the origin of the THz emission with the photocurrents generated via the photon drag effect. A thorough symmetry analysis combined with electronic band structure calculations using density-functional theory (DFT) are used to support our conclusions and provide a guide towards the important features that lead to photocurrent generation, which is useful for designing ultra-fast current pulses emitters.

Photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline antibiotics by RGO-CdTe composite with enhanced apparent quantum efficiency

RGO-CdTe composite was synthesized using a straightforward, easy-to-realize, one-pot solvothermal technique. The synthesized composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method (BET), Raman spectra, UV-Vis absorption, and photoluminescence measurement. The RGO-CdTe composite exhibited 83.6% photocatalytic degradation efficiency for the aqueous tetracycline (TC) antibiotic solution and the apparent quantum yield (AQY) for the same was as high as 22.29% which is 2.63 times higher than that of CdTe. The scavenger investigation demonstrated that although hole acts as the leading active species, despite that, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals have also played crucial roles. The initial pH-dependent photocatalytic performance was measured. The zeta potential of the composite at different pH values was evaluated to establish the photocatalytic performance of the RGO-CdTe towards TC degradation at different pH. The recycling experiment depicts that only a 10% degradation performance declines after 5 times recycle use of the RGO-CdTe photocatalyst. An efficient photocurrent generation in RGO-CdTe thin film device has also been observed. Our study establishes as-synthesized composite of RGO-CdTe as a highly potential, and stable photocatalyst for the degradation of antibiotics from the polluted aqueous environment with a very good photoinduced charge generation efficiency in its solid phase.

The enhanced photoelectric performances and capacitance effects of In2O3/3D rGO

In this study, Indium oxide (In2O3) and 3D reduced graphene oxide (3D rGO) composites were obtained by hydrothermal treatment. The structure composition, morphology, surface area and band gap of In2O3/3D rGO were analyzed by a series of techniques. The relationship between the photoelectric properties and capacitance of In2O3/3D rGO composites with various mass proportions was investigated, and the results indicated that the steady-state photocurrent density of In2O3/3D rGO increased and then started to drop with the increase of the specific capacitance. The current density of In2O3/3D rGO reached a maximum of 0.11 mA/cm2 at the intermediate specific capacitance (77.8 mF/cm2). This photocurrent trend of the composites was attributed to the positive and negative effects of capacitance. The proper capacitance might result in the low recombination rate of photogenerated carriers and holes, while the overlarge capacitance might limit the release of electrons, thus reducing the photocurrent generation. This research result was expected to provide favorable conditions for further applications of 3D graphene and new strategies to improve the photoelectric performance of In2O3.

The State-of-the-Art Solution-Processed Single Component Organic Photodetectors Achieved by Strong Quenching of Intermolecular Emissive State and High Quadrupole Moment in Non-Fullerene Acceptors.

A bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) blend is commonly used as the photoactive layer in organic photodetectors (OPDs) to utilize the donor (D)/acceptor (A) interfacial energetic offset for exciton dissociation. However, this strategy often complicates optimization procedures, raising serious concerns over device processability, reproducibility and stability. Herein, we demonstrate highly efficient OPDs fabricated with single-component organic semiconductors via solution-processing. The non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) with strong intrinsic D/A character are used as the photoactive layer, where the emissive intermolecular charge transfer excitonic (CTE) states are formed within <1ps, and efficient photocurrent generation is achieved via strong quenching of these CTE states by reverse bias. Y6 and IT-4F based OPDs show excellent OPD performances; low dark current density (∼10-9 A cm-2 ), high responsivity (≥ 0.15 A W-1 ), high specific detectivity (> 1012 Jones) and fast photo-response time (< 10 µs), comparable to the state-of-the-art BHJ OPDs. Together with strong CTE state quenching by electric field, these excellent OPD performances are also attributed to the high quadrupole moments of NFA molecules, which can lead to large interfacial energetic offset for efficient CTE dissociation. Our work opens a new way to realize efficient OPDs using single-component systems via solution-processing and provides important molecular design rules. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

DFT insights into the effects of substitutionally doped Sb defects in CuIn(S,Se)2 solar cell absorber

Abstract Metal chalcogenide-based semiconductors are gaining attention for optoelectronic applications like thin-film photovoltaics (PV). Sb dopant incorporation in CuIn(S,Se)2 (CISSe) solar cell has been proven to significantly enhance PV performance, as demonstrated in our previous experimental work. However, the underlying mechanisms behind this improvement remained unclear. In this study, we report on the influence of substitutionally doped Sb defect on the structural, formation energy, band structure, and optical absorption properties in CISSe, employing the hybrid HSE06 functional within the density functional theory framework. We find that the Sb prefers to substitute at In site, resulting in the most stable Sb-doped CISSe structure. Under cation-poor growth conditions, Sb prefers to substitute on In sites, while under anion-poor growth conditions, it shows a preference for substituting on Se sites. Interestingly, only SbIn defects do not form impurity states in the band gap. Additionally, SbIn, SbS, and SbSe show a reduction in the band gap. Our results reveal that Sb-doped CISSe exhibits enhanced optical absorption in the IR to visible regions, leading to increased photocurrent generation and improved photovoltaic device efficiency, consistent with our experimental findings. These findings provide valuable theoretical insights into the influence of Sb-doping in CISSe, aiding the design of effective metal chalcogenide PV.

Rational construction of hollow ZnO@SnS2 core-shell nanorods: A way to boost catalytic removal of Cr (VI) ions, antibiotic and industrial dyes

Herein, the novel hollow ZnO@SnS2 core-shell nanorods with variable shell thickness have been synthesized by a chemical synthesis approach. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images signified the creation of a hollow core-shell nanostructure. The SnS2 layer coating on ZnO nanorods broadens visible light absorption and suppresses near-band edge emission of ZnO nanorods. Interestingly, the band gap (optical) of the developed ZnO nanorods decreased from 3.3 eV to 2.1 eV after the coating of SnS2 shell. Consequently, the coated hollow ZnO@SnS2 core-shell nanorods displayed a significant enhancement in catalytic activity for the decomposition of toxic industrial dyes, pharmaceutical pollutant tetracycline, and Cr(VI) ion in comparison to hollow ZnO NRs. The photon-induced charge carrier generation and separation were confirmed by the three-electrode electrochemical amperometric analysis and impedance analysis under illumination of simulated solar light (AM 1.5, One Sun). Moreover, an exceptionally higher photocurrent generation (∼10 times higher than ZnO nanorod). The improved ZnO@SnS2 core shell NRs catalytic activity was attributed to its core-shell structure, proper band structure, and effective charge carrier transfer across the core shell interface. This work offers new insights for the design and growth of visible light-active core shell nanorods for resolving environmental pollution and photocurrent generation.

Probing the photocurrent in two-dimensional titanium disulfide

Generating photocurrent in a condensed matter system involves the excitation, relaxation, and transportation of charge carriers. As such, it is viewed a potent method for probing the dynamics of non-equilibrium carriers and the electronic band structure of solid state materials. In this research, we analyze the photoresponse of the mechanically exfoliated titanium disulfide (TiS2), a transition metal dichalcogenide whose classification as either a semimetal or a semiconductor has been the subject of debate for years. The scanning photocurrent microscopy and the temperature-dependent photoresponse characterization expose the appearance of a photovoltaic current primarily from the metal/TiS2 junction in an unbiased sample, while negative photoconductivity due to the bolometric effect is observed in the conductive TiS2 channel. The optoelectronic experimental results, combined with electrical transport characterization and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements, indicate that the TiS2 employed in this study is likely a heavily-doped semiconductor. Our findings unveil the photocurrent generation mechanism of two dimensional TiS2, highlighting its prospective optoelectronic applications in the future.

Impact of Varying the Photoanode/Catalyst Interfacial Composition on Solar Water Oxidation: The Case of BiVO4(010)/FeOOH Photoanodes.

Photoanodes used in a water-splitting photoelectrochemical cell are almost always paired with an oxygen evolution catalyst (OEC) to efficiently utilize photon-generated holes for water oxidation because the surfaces of photoanodes are typically not catalytic for the water oxidation reaction. Suppressing electron-hole recombination at the photoanode/OEC interface is critical for the OEC to maximally utilize the holes reaching the interface for water oxidation. In order to explicitly demonstrate and investigate how the detailed features of the photoanode/OEC interface affect interfacial charge transfer and photocurrent generation for water oxidation, we prepared two BiVO4(010)/FeOOH photoanodes with different Bi:V ratios at the outermost layer of the BiVO4 interface (close to stoichiometric vs Bi-rich) while keeping all other factors in the bulk BiVO4 and FeOOH layers identical. The resulting two photoanodes show striking differences in the photocurrent onset potential and photocurrent density for water oxidation. The ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that these two BiVO4(010)/FeOOH photoanodes show drastically different Fe2+:Fe3+ ratios in FeOOH both in the dark and under illumination with water, demonstrating the immense impact of the interfacial composition and structure on interfacial charge transfer. Using computational studies, we reveal the effect of the surface Bi:V ratio on the hydration of the BiVO4 surface and bonding with the FeOOH layer, which in turn affect the band alignments between BiVO4 and FeOOH. These results explain the atomic origin of the experimentally observed differences in electron and hole transfer and solar water oxidation performance of the two photoanodes having different interfacial compositions.

An innovative approach for the synthesis of 4Tris@Porphyrin and anderson polyoxometalate based covalent organic framework to reveal its potential for photocatalytic properties

Herein, a polyhydroxy containing metallo porphyrin linked through amide functional group with Anderson polyoxometalate (POM) was used to form TPMnA-COF. Structure and applications have been unlocked thoroughly by means of FT-IR, UV–visible, 1HNMR, PXRD, SEM and cyclic voltammetric (CV) spectral analysis. The TPMnA-COF was tested as catalyst to explore the photocurrent and photodegradation properties. ITO electrode was fabricated to study optical activity, absorption study and photocurrent generation. The adsorption study of TPMnA-COF has been studied using Langmuir and Freundlich model with calculated Langmuir constants qm, KL, RL and R2 values of about 12.42 mg/g, 0.33 M-1, 0.30 and 0.98 respectively. The 1/n, Kf and R2 values obtained from Freundlich adsorption isotherm were 0.70, 3.16 M-1 and 0.96 respectively. The band gap value evaluated via absorption edge of UV–visible spectra in DMSO solution was 2.75 eV while the band gap value calculated for ultra-thin film was 1.95 eV. The calculated real, imaginary dielectric constants, Urbach edge, refractive index and the electrical conductivity values for ultra-thin film of TPMnA-COF were 518.8, 2.9 × 10−11-8.1 × 10−11, −3.802 meV, 22.8–22.6 and 8.3 × 104−3.4 × 104 S/m), respectively. Responsivity for film was also tested using purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and red colourlights and the observed responsivity for different lower light intensities were 3.05, 2.9, 1.6, 1.55, 1.5 and 1.4 mA/W respectively. Furthermore, photodegradation activity of TPMnA-COF in Methylene-Blue (MB) and Rhodamine B(Rh–B) dyes under 3 W light. The results showed higher photocatalytic efficiency for Rh–B than that for MB with obtained degradation efficiency of 81 % and 60.4 %, respectively after 660 min. The scavengers such as ammonium oxalate (AO, h+), isopropanol (ISOP, •OH), catalase (CAT, H2O2) and superoxide dismutase (SODM, O2−●) were used to find out the effectiveness of each reactive specie to degrade the dyes solution in the mechanism of degradation. It was observed that AO (h+) and ISOP(•OH) were more active species in the photodegradation mechanism than CAT(H2O2) and SODM(O2−●).