Photoinduced State Research Articles

Nonparallel Stacks of Donor and Acceptor Chromophores Evade Geminate Charge Recombination.

We report a nonparallel stacked arrangement of donor–acceptor (D–A) pairs for prolonging the lifetime of photoinduced charge-separated states. Hydrogen–hydrogen steric repulsion in naphthalimide-naphthalene (NIN) dyad destabilizes the planar geometry between the constituent units in solution/ground state. Sterically imposed nonplanar geometry of the dyad allows the access of nonparallel arrangement of the donor and acceptor stacks having triclinic space group in the crystalline state. Antiparallel trajectory of excitons in nonparallel D–A stacks can result in lower probability of geminate charge recombination, upon photoexcitation, thereby resulting in a long-lived charge-separated state. Upon photoexcitation of the NIN dyad, electron transfer from naphthalene to the singlet excited state of naphthalimide moiety results in radical ion pair intermediates that survive >10,000-fold longer in the aggregated state (τcra > 1.2 ns) as compared to that of monomeric dyad (τcrm < 110 fs), monitored using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy.

Simulating Excited State Dynamics in Systems with Multiple Avoided Crossings Using Mapping Variable Ring Polymer Molecular Dynamics.

Mapping variable ring polymer molecular dynamics (MV-RPMD) is an approximate quantum dynamics method based on imaginary-time path integrals for simulating electronically nonadiabatic photochemical processes. By employing a mapping protocol to transform from a discrete electronic state basis to continuous Cartesian phase-space variables, the method captures electronic state transitions coupled to nuclear motion using only classical MD trajectories. In this work, we extend the applicability of MV-RPMD to simulations of photoinduced excited electronic state dynamics in nonadiabatic systems with multiple avoided crossings. We achieve this by deriving a new electronic state population estimator in the phase space of electronic variables that is exact at equilibrium and numerically accurate in real time. Further, we introduce an efficient constraint protocol to initialize an MV-RPMD simulation to a particular electronic state. We numerically demonstrate the accuracy of this estimator and constraint technique in describing electronic state dynamics from an initial nonequilibrium state in six model systems, three of which describe photodissociation.

Photomagnetic Carbon Nanotubes at Ambient Conditions

Bis(2,2-bipyridine)-5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)2(phen-NH2)2+), an MLCT complex, has a long-lived triplet state in water (λex: 473 nm; λem: 620 nm; τ = 615 ns; Φ = 1 relative to that of Ru(bpy)32+) and a structure analogous to Ru(bpy)32+. When Ru(bpy)2(phen-NH2)2+ was subjected to diazotization in the presence of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), it formed nanodots on the CNTs, rendering the resulting tubes (Ru@CNT) capable of transducing photo stimuli (473 nm) into electricity and magnetism at ambient conditions. The increased functionality was highly reproducible, as evidenced by conductive-mode AFM, vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), and AC susceptibility analysis. The local magnetism probing of the Ru@CNT with magnetic-mode AFM techniques (MFM) indicated that the magnetism originated from the unpaired electrons formed on the photoexcited nanodots. The resulting phase shift behaved as a function of the luminous power and the voltage (Vb) of the electrical bias applied to the Ru@CNT. The Vb dependence deviated from the expected quadratic correlation, confirming that the formation of the photoinduced charge separation state at the nanodots is responsible for the photomagnetism. The Ru@CNT tubes showed mobility toward external magnets (65 G) when floating on water and under 473 nm illumination. The Ru@CNT thus appears to be a multifunctional material that might be useful in spintronics.

Time-Resolved Continuous-Wave and Pulse EPR Investigation of Photoinduced States of Zinc Porphyrin Linked with an Ethylenediamine Copper Complex

Electron spin dynamics of the photoexcited state of a new porphyrin system built of a zinc porphyrin molecule with a linked complex of copper ion (ZnPCu) was studied using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) methods. The time-resolved continuous-wave and echo-detected EPR data show that electron spins of the ZnPCu system are polarized. The shape of the EPR spectrum and the echo-detected nutation spectroscopy data indicate that there is a relatively small spin–spin interaction between two subunits, namely, less than the zero-field splitting parameter of the excited triplet ZnP molecule. Results have been interpreted assuming that the S = 1 Zn porphyrin subunit electron spins are polarized via the triplet mechanism and this polarization is transferred to the S = 1/2 copper subunit via a flip-flop process induced by the exchange interaction between these subunits. The formation of the integral spin polarization in the triplet–doublet system as a function of the value and type of the triplet–doublet interaction was analyzed.

Synthesis and Properties of an Electropolymer Obtained from a Dimeric Donor/Acceptor System with a 4,4′-Spirobi[cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b′]dithiophene] Core

The design and synthesis of two potentially electropolymerizable electron donor–acceptor dyes characterized by a cruciform 4,4′-spirobi[cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b′]dithiophene] core is here outlined. The new molecules feature two perpendicularly aligned cyclopentadithiophene branches, each one having an electrodimerizable, electron donor triphenylamine unit and an electron acceptor dicyanovinylene group. By merging these structural elements, the light absorption ability of the conjugated cyclopentadithiophene chromophore is extended to a broad region of the visible spectrum. The photoelectroactive film obtained from one of the dyes by electrochemical deposition technique retains the ability to generate photoinduced charge-separated states and to transport holes, turning this material into a unique example of donor–acceptor polymer with potential application in the development of organic optoelectronic devices.

Nanosecond pump and probe observation of bimolecular exciton effects in rubrene single crystals

Transient grating pump and probe experiments are used to investigate excitonic processes on the nanosecond time scale in rubrene single crystals. We find that bimolecular interactions cause a photoinduced excited state density on the order of 0.5 × 1020 cm−3—corresponding to an average distance of ∼3 nm between individual states—to decrease by a factor of 2 after 2 ns, following a typical power-law decay. We assign the observed power-law decays to high-density interactions between excited states. Because of the high efficiency singlet exciton fission observed in rubrene, these bimolecular interactions are likely those between triplet excitons or between coherent quantum superpositions of a singlet and a pair of triplet-excitons.

Photoinduced intercomponent excited-state decays in a molecular dyad made of a dinuclear rhenium(I) chromophore and a fullerene electron acceptor unit.

A novel molecular dyad, 1, made of a dinuclear {[Re2(μ-X)2(CO)6(μ-pyridazine)]} component covalently-linked to a fullerene unit by a carbocyclic molecular bridge has been prepared and its redox, spectroscopic, and photophysical properties - including pump-probe transient absorption spectroscopy in the visible and near-infrared region - have been investigated, along with those of its model species. Photoinduced, intercomponent electron transfer occurs in 1 from the thermally-equilibrated, triplet metal/ligand-to-ligand charge-transfer ((3)MLLCT) state of the dinuclear rhenium(I) subunit to the fullerene acceptor, with a time constant of about 100 ps. The so-formed triplet charge-separated state recombines in a few nanoseconds by a spin-selective process yielding, rather than the ground state, the locally-excited, triplet fullerene state, which finally decays to the ground state by intersystem crossing in about 290 ns.

Porphyrin-Fullerene Based Donor-Acceptor Conjugates for Photocontrol of Cell Membrane Potentials

Optical control of cellular functions is a promising approach for therapeutic application because it can realize precise control with resolutions of submicrosecond temporally and submicrometer spatially.1 Among various key factors for controlling cellular functions, cell membrane potential is one of the most important ones because it triggers various biological events such as neuron fire and cell signaling. For maintaining membrane potentials, ion channels play crucial roles to keep or to change cell membrane potentials. Therefore, artificial control of cell membrane potential and selective inhibition/activation of ion channels are considered to be promising therapeutic approach.2 Meanwhile, in electron donor-acceptor linked molecules, photoirradiation triggers intramolecular electron transfer and then charge separated (CS) state is generated. The molecules in CS state demonstrate high oxidizing and reducing abilities, and may induce large dipole which can generate large electric field in nanometer scale. Our group has focused on the photoinduced CS states in the donor-acceptor linked molecules because it may perturb an environment in the cell membrane and may influence function of the proteins therein. Recently, we have reported that such molecules can induce depolarization in the membrane potential of PC12 cells as well as inhibition of the potassium ion flow across the membrane by illumination.3 In this study, a series of amphiphilic electron donor-acceptor linked molecules based on fullerene and porphyrin were systematically designed, synthesized and investigated for photocontrol on cell membrane potentials. Their molecular structures and unique aggregate structures revealed their characteristic photoinduced excited states of the molecules. Utilizing fullerene moiety was found to be a key for formation of the unique aggregates in highly polar solvent and introduction of porphyrin moiety provides a benefit for using light energy efficiently. Successful design of a CS molecule was found to suppress photocytotoxicity of the molecule remarkably and demonstrated its ability for modulation on the membrane potentials which can increase the frequency of the action potential and trigger neuron firing in rat hippocampal neurons by photo irradiation.

Seebeck effects in n-type and p-type polymers driven simultaneously by surface polarization and entropy differences based on conductor/polymer/conductor thin-film devices.

This paper reports Seebeck effects driven by both surface polarization difference and entropy difference by using photoinduced intramolecular charge-transfer states in n-type and p-type conjugated polymers, namely IIDT and IIDDT, respectively, based on vertical conductor/polymer/conductor thin-film devices. We obtain large Seebeck coefficients of -898 μV/K from n-type IIDT and 1300 μV/K from p-type IIDDT when the charge-transfer states are generated by a white light illumination of 100 mW/cm(2), compared with the values of 380 and 470 μV/K in dark condition, respectively. Simultaneously, the electrical conductivities are increased from almost insulating state in dark condition to conducting state under photoexcitation in both n-type IIDT and p-type IIDDT based devices. The large Seebeck effects can be attributed to the following two mechanisms. First, the intramolecular charge-transfer states exhibit strong electron-phonon coupling, which leads to a polarization difference between high and low temperature surfaces. This polarization difference essentially forms a temperature-dependent electric field, functioning as a new driving force additional to entropy difference, to drive the energetic carriers for the development of Seebeck effects under a temperature difference. Second, the intramolecular charge-transfer states generate negative or positive majority carriers (electrons or holes) in the n-type IIDT or p-type IIDDT, ready to be driven between high and low temperature surfaces for developing Seebeck effects. On the basis of coexisted polarization difference and entropy difference, the intramolecular charge-transfer states can largely enhance the Seebeck effects in both n-type IIDT and p-type IIDDT devices. Furthermore, we find that changing electrical conductivity can switch the Seebeck effects between polarization and entropy regimes when the charge-transfer states are generated upon applying photoexcitation. Therefore, using intramolecular charge-transfer states presents an approach to develop thermoelectric effects in organic materials-based vertical conductor/polymer/conductor thin-film devices.

Coexistence of excited polarons and metastable delocalized states in photoinduced metals

We study how polaronic states form as a function of time due to strong electron-phonon coupling, starting from a hot electron distribution which is representative of a photo-induced metallic state immediately after laser excitation. For this purpose we provide the exact solution of the single-electron Holstein model within nonequilibrium dynamical mean-field theory. In particular, this allows us to reveal key features of the transient metallic state in the numerically most challenging regime, the adiabatic regime, in which phonon frequencies are smaller than the electronic bandwidth: Initial coherent phonon oscillations are strongly damped, leaving the system in a mixture of excited polaron states and metastable delocalized states. We compute the time-resolved photoemission spectrum, which allows to disentangle two contributions. The existence of long-lived delocalized states suggest ways to externally control transient properties of photo-doped metals.

Ultrafast charge and lattice dynamics in one-dimensional Mott insulator of CuO-chain compoundCa2CuO3investigated by femtosecond absorption spectroscopy

Charge dynamics in one-dimensional (1D) Mott insulators was investigated by femtosecond pump-probe absorption spectroscopy on ${\mathrm{Ca}}_{2}{\mathrm{CuO}}_{3}$. An irradiation of a femtosecond laser pulse gives rise to a Drude-like response due to the nature of spin-charge separation characteristic of 1D Mott insulators. The photoinduced metallic state decays with \ensuremath{\sim}30 fs, and photocarriers are localized as polarons via charge-phonon coupling which produce a broad midgap absorption. Calculations with the extended Hubbard-Holstein model suggest that the peak structure of the midgap absorption is a magnon sideband of the polaron absorption. This demonstrates that charge-spin coupling becomes effective via charge-phonon coupling in polarons.

Determination of molecular stoichiometry without reference samples by analyzing fluorescence blinking with and without excitation synchronization

Stoichiometry of molecular complexes plays a crucial role in biology. Moreover, for quantitative fluorescence studies, it is often useful to know the number of fluorophores labeled onto the molecules studied. In this work, we propose an approach to determine the number of independent fluorescence emitters on fluorescent molecules based on fluorescence blinking caused by photo-induced triplet state formation, photo-isomerization or charge transfer. The fluorescence blinking is measured under two different excitation regimes, on the same setup, and in one and the same sample. By comparing the fluorescence fluctuations under continuous excitation using Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS), when all the fluorophores are blinking independently of each other, with those occurring under square-pulsed excitation using Transient State (TRAST) spectroscopy, when all fluorophores are blinking in a synchronized manner, the number of fluorophores per molecule can be determined. No calibration sample is needed and the approach is independent of experimental conditions and of the specific environment of the molecules under study.The approach was experimentally validated by labeling double stranded DNA (dsDNA) with different concentrations of the intercalating dye YOYO-1 Iodide. The sample was then measured consecutively by TRAST and FCS and the number of fluorophores per molecule was calculated. The determined numbers were found to agree well with the number of fluorophores per dsDNA, as determined from FCS measurements using additional calibration samples.

Ultrafast light-induced spin-state trapping photophysics investigated in Fe(phen)2(NCS)2 spin-crossover crystal.

Few photoactive molecules undergo a complete transformation of physical properties (magnetism, optical absorption, etc.) when irradiated with light. Such phenomena can happen on the time scale of fundamental atomic motions leading to an entirely new state within less than 1 ps following light absorption. Spin crossover (SCO) molecules are prototype systems having the ability to switch between low spin (LS) and high spin (HS) molecular states both at thermal equilibrium and after light irradiation. In the case of Fe(II) (3d(6)) complexes in a nearly octahedral ligand field, the two possible electronic distributions among the 3d split orbitals are S = 0 for the LS diamagnetic state and S = 2 for the HS paramagnetic state. In crystals, such photoexcited states can be long-lived at low temperature, as is the case for the photoinduced HS state of the [Fe(phen)2(NCS)2] SCO compound investigated here. We first show how such bistability between the diamagnetic and paramagnetic states can be characterized at thermal equilibrium or after light irradiation at low temperature. Complementary techniques provide invaluable insights into relationships between changes of electronic states and structural reorganization. But the development of such light-active materials requires the understanding of the basic mechanism following light excitation of molecules, responsible for trapping them into new electronic and structural states. We therefore discuss how we can observe a photomagnetic molecule during switching and catch on the fly electronic and structural molecular changes with ultrafast X-ray and optical absorption spectroscopies. In addition, there is a long debate regarding the mechanism behind the efficiency of such a light-induced process. Recent theoretical works suggest that such speed and efficiency are possible thanks to the instantaneous coupling with the phonons of the final state. We discuss here the first experimental proof of that statement as we observe the instantaneous activation of one key phonon mode precluding any recurrence towards the initial state. Our studies show that the structural molecular reorganization trapping the photoinduced electronic state occurs in two sequential steps: the molecule elongates first (within 170 femtosecond) and bends afterwards. This dynamics is caught via the coherent vibrational energy transfer of the two main structural modes. We discuss the transformation pathway connecting the initial photoexcited state to the final state, which involves several key reaction coordinates. These results show the need to replace the classical single coordinate picture employed so far with a more complex multidimensional energy surface.

Dynamic Jahn–Teller Effect in the Metastable High-Spin State of Solvated [Fe(terpy)2]2+

Characterizing structural distortions in the metastable spin states of d4–d7 transition metal ion complexes is crucial to understand the nature of their bistability and eventually control their switching dynamics. In particular, the impact of the Jahn–Teller effect needs to be assessed for any electronic configuration that could be effectively degenerate, as in e.g. the high-spin (HS) manifold of highly symmetric homoleptic FeII complexes. However, capturing its manifestations remains challenging since crystallization generally alters the molecular conformations and their interconversion. With the rapid progress of ultrafast X-ray absorption spectroscopy, it is now possible to collect data with unprecedented signal-to-noise ratio, opening up for detailed structural characterization of transient species in the homogeneous solution phase. By combining the analysis of picosecond X-ray absorption spectra with DFT simulations, the structure of the photoinduced HS state is elucidated for solvated [Fe(terpy)2]2+...

Mapping the Ultrafast Changes of Continuous Shape Measures in Photoexcited Spin Crossover Complexes without Long-Range Order

Establishing a tractable yet complete reaction coordinate for the spin-state interconversion in d4–d7 transition metal complexes is an integral aspect of controlling the dynamics that govern their functionality. For spin crossover phenomena, the limitations of a single-mode approximation that solely accounts for an isotropic increase in the metal–ligand bond length have long been recognized for all but the simple octahedral monodentate FeII compounds. However, identifying the coupled deformations that also impact on the unimolecular rate constants remains experimentally and theoretically challenging, especially for samples that do not display long-range order or when crystallization profoundly alters the dynamics. Owing to the rapid progress in ultrafast X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), it is now possible to obtain transient structural information in any physical phase with unprecedented details. Using picosecond XAS and DFT modeling, the structure adopted by the photoinduced high-spin state of solvated [Fe(terpy)2]2+ (terpy: 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine) has been recently established. Based on these results, the methodology of the continuous shape measure is applied to classify and quantify the short-lived distortion of the first coordination shell. The reaction coordinate of the spin-state interconversion is clearly identified as a double axial bending. This finding sets a benchmark for gauging the influence of first-sphere and second-sphere interactions in the family of FeII complexes that incorporate terpy derivatives. Some implications for the optimization of related photoactive FeII complexes are also outlined.

Femtosecond spin-state photo-switching dynamics in an FeIII spin crossover solid accompanied by coherent structural vibrations

Femtosecond optical spectroscopy reveals coherent structural trapping accompanying spin-state photoswitching in a FeIII spin-crossover material.

Multiple light-induced NO linkage isomers in the dinitrosyl complex [RuCl(NO)2(PPh3)2]BF4 unravelled by photocrystallographic and IR analysis.

Multiple light-induced reversible metastable NO linkage isomers (PLIs) have been detected in the dinitrosyl compound [RuCl(NO)2(PPh3)2]BF4 by a combination of photocrystallographic and IR analysis. The IR signature of three PLI states has been clearly identified, with estimated populations of 59% (PLI-1), 8% (PLI-2) and 5% (PLI-3) for a total population of the metastable state of 72%. The structural configuration of the major component (PLI-1) has been derived by X-ray photocrystallography. In the ground state, the structure is characterized by a bent and a linear nitrosyl, the bent one being oriented towards the linear equatorial nitrosyl with an Ru-N-O angle of 133.88 (9)°. X-ray Fourier difference maps indicate a selectivity of the photo-isomerization process in PLI-1: only the bent NO ligand changes its position, while the linear NO is unaffected. After irradiation at 405 nm, the orientation is changed by rotation towards the Cl ligand opposite the linear NO, with an Ru-N-O angle in this new position of 109 (1)°. The photocrystallographic analysis provides evidence that, in the photo-induced metastable state, the bent NO group is attached to the Ru atom through the N atom (Ru-N-O), rather than in an isonitrosyl Ru-O-N binding mode. In the IR spectra, the asymmetric NO vibrational band shifts by -33 cm(-1) to a lower value, whereas the symmetric band splits and shifts by 5 cm(-1) to a higher value and by -8 cm(-1) to a lower value. The down shift is a clear indication of the structural change, and the small upward shift in response to the new electronic configuration of the metastable structure. Variable-temperature IR kinetic measurements in the range 80-114 K show that the decay of the PLI-1 state follows an Arrhenius behaviour with an activation energy of 0.22 eV.

Synthesis and investigation of donor-porphyrin-acceptor triads with long-lived photo-induced charge-separate states.

Two donor-porphyrin-acceptor triads have been synthesized using a versatile Suzuki-coupling route. This synthetic strategy allows the powerful donor tetraalkylphenylenediamine (TAPD) to be introduced into tetraarylporphyrin-based triads without protection. The thermodynamics and kinetics of electron transfer in the new triads are compared with a previously reported octaalkyldiphenyl-porphyrin triad exhibiting a long-lived spin-polarized charge separate state (CSS), from theoretical and experimental perspectives, in both fluid solution and in a frozen solvent glass. We show that the less favorable oxidation potential of the tetraaryl-porphyrin core can be offset by using C60 , as a better electron-acceptor than triptycenenaphthoquinone (TNQ). The C60 -porphyrin-TAPD triad gives a spin-polarized charge-separated state that can be observed by EPR-spectroscopy, with a mean lifetime of 16 ms at 10 K, which is longer than in the previously reported TNQ-porphyrin-TAPD triad, following the predicted trend from calculated charge-recombination rates.

Photo-Induced Dynamics in Charge-Frustrated Systems

Photo-excited charge dynamics of interacting charge-frustrated systems are studied using a spinless fermion model on an anisotropic triangular lattice. Real-time evolution of the system after irradiating a pump-photon pulse is analyzed by the exact diagonalization method. We focus on photo-excited states in the two canonical charge-ordered (CO) ground states, i.e., horizontal stripe-type and vertical stripe-type COs, which compete with each other owing to the charge frustration. We find that the photo-induced excited states from the two types of COs are distinct. From the horizontal stripe-type CO, a transition to another CO state called the three-fold CO phase occurs. In sharp contrast, the vertical stripe-type CO phase is only weakened by photo-irradiation. Our observations are attributable to the charge frustration effects occurring in the photo-excited states.

Charge-transfer state excitation as the main mechanism of the photodarkening process in ytterbium-doped aluminosilicate fibres

We have studied photodarkening in ytterbium-doped fibre preforms with an aluminosilicate glass core. Analysis of their absorption and luminescence spectra indicates the formation of stable ions in the glass network under IR laser pumping at a wavelength and under UV irradiation with an excimer laser . We have performed comparative studies of the luminescence spectra of the preforms and crystals under excitation at a wavelength of . The mechanism behind the formation of ions and aluminium – oxygen hole centres (Al-OHCs), common to ytterbium-doped YAG crystals and aluminosilicate glass, has been identified: photoinduced charge-transfer state excitation.