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1.
ACS Nano ; 17(3): 2190-2204, 2023 Feb 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36669768

ABSTRACT

The excitonic structure of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is chirality dependent and consists of multiple singlet and triplet excitons (TEs) of which only one singlet exciton (SE) is optically bright. In particular, the dark TEs have a large impact on the integration of SWCNTs in optoelectronic devices, where excitons are created electrically, such as in infrared light-emitting diodes, thereby strongly limiting their quantum efficiency. Here, we report the characterization of TEs in chirality-purified samples of (6,5) and (7,5) SWCNTs, either randomly oriented in a frozen solution or with in-plane preferential orientation in a film, by means of optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectroscopy. In both chiral structures, the nanotubes are shown to sustain three types of TEs. One TE exhibits axial symmetry with zero-field splitting (ZFS) parameters depending on SWCNT diameter, in good agreement with the tighter confinement expected in narrower-diameter nanotubes. The ZFS of this TE also depends on nanotube environment, pointing to slightly weaker confinement for surfactant-coated than for polymer-wrapped SWCNTs. A second TE type, with much smaller ZFS, does not show the same systematic trends with diameter and environment and has a less well-defined axial symmetry. This most likely corresponds to TEs trapped at defect sites at low temperature, as exemplified by comparing SWCNT samples from different origins and after different treatments. A third triplet has unresolved ZFS, implying it originates from weakly interacting spin pairs. Aside from the diameter dependence, ODMR thus provides insights in both the symmetry, confinement, and nature of TEs on semiconducting SWCNTs.

2.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 23(12): 7088-7100, 2021 Mar 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33876075

ABSTRACT

Studying the structural environment of the VIV ions doped in the metal-organic framework (MOF) DUT-5(Al) ((AlIIIOH)BPDC) with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) reveals four different vanadium-related spectral components. The spin-Hamiltonian parameters are derived by analysis of X-, Q- and W-band powder EPR spectra. Complementary Q-band Electron Nuclear DOuble Resonance (ENDOR) experiments, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) measurements are performed to investigate the origin of these spectral components. Two spectral components with well resolved 51V hyperfine structure are visible, one corresponding to VIV[double bond, length as m-dash]O substitution in a large (or open) pore and one to a narrow (or closed) pore variant of this MOF. Furthermore, a broad structureless Lorentzian line assigned to interacting vanadyl centers in each other's close neighborhood grows with increasing V-concentration. The last spectral component is best visible at low V-concentrations. We tentatively attribute it to (VIV[double bond, length as m-dash]O)2+ linked with DMF or dimethylamine in the pores of the MOF. Simulations using these four spectral components convincingly reproduce the experimental spectra and allow to estimate the contribution of each vanadyl species as a function of V-concentration.

3.
Nanotechnology ; 31(10): 105501, 2020 Mar 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31751974

ABSTRACT

A straightforward and sensitive approach is presented for contact-free thermal sensing with high spatial resolution based on optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) of negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in fluorescent nanodiamonds. The frequency-jump procedure is a frequency modulation technique between two discrete frequencies at the inflection points at both sides of the NV ODMR resonance, which yields a signal proportional to the temperature shift over a wide temperature range. The approach is generic and is demonstrated by time-dependent measurements of the local temperature at different spots on a microelectronics circuit under electrical switching operation of one of the devices.

4.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 21(41): 22999-23008, 2019 Oct 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31599899

ABSTRACT

The greater chemical tunability of non-fullerene acceptors enables fine-tuning of the donor-acceptor energy level offsets, a promising strategy towards increasing the open-circuit voltage in organic solar cells. Unfortunately, this approach could open an additional recombination channel for the charge-transfer (CT) state via a lower-lying donor or acceptor triplet level. In this work we investigate such electron and hole back-transfer mechanisms in fullerene-free solar cells incorporating the novel molecular acceptor 2,4-diCN-Ph-DTTzTz. The transition to the low-driving force regime is studied by comparing blends with well-established donor polymers P3HT and MDMO-PPV, which allows for variation of the energetic offsets at the donor-acceptor interface. Combining various optical spectroscopic techniques, the CT process and subsequent triplet formation are systematically investigated. Although both back-transfer mechanisms are found to be energetically feasible in both blends, markedly different triplet-mediated recombination processes are observed for the two systems. The kinetic suppression of electron back-transfer in the blend with P3HT suggests that energy losses due to triplet formation on the polymer can be avoided, regardless of favorable energetic alignment.

5.
J Magn Reson ; 288: 1-10, 2018 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29367021

ABSTRACT

We present a combined high-field EPR and DFT study of light-induced radicals in the bulk heterojunction blend of PBDB-T:ITIC, currently one of the highest efficiency non-fullerene donor:acceptor combinations in organic photovoltaics. We demonstrate two different approaches for disentangling the strongly overlapping high-field EPR spectra of the positive and negative polarons after charge separation: (1) relaxation-filtered field-swept EPR based on the difference in T1 spin-relaxation times and (2) field-swept EDNMR-induced EPR by exploiting the presence of 14N hyperfine couplings in only one of the radical species, the small molecule acceptor radical. The approach is validated by light-induced EPR spectra on related blends and the spectral assignment is underpinned by DFT computations. The broader applicability of the spectral disentangling methods is discussed.

6.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 19(36): 24545-24554, 2017 Sep 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28852751

ABSTRACT

X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) were combined to study the structural transformations induced by temperature, pressure and air humidity of the "breathing" metal-organic framework (MOF) MIL-53(Al), doped with paramagnetic VIV ions, after activation. The correlation between in situ XRD and thermogravimetric analysis measurements showed that upon heating this MOF in air, starting from ambient temperature and pressure, the narrow pore framework first dehydrates and after that makes the transition to a large pore state (lp). The EPR spectra of VIV[double bond, length as m-dash]O molecular ions, replacing Al-OH in the structure, also allow to distinguish the as synthesized, hydrated (np-h) and dehydrated narrow pore (np-d), and lp states of MIL-53(Al). A careful analysis of EPR spectra recorded at microwave frequencies between 9.5 and 275 GHz demonstrates that all VIV[double bond, length as m-dash]O in the np-d and lp states are equivalent, whereas in the np-h state (at least two) slightly different VIV[double bond, length as m-dash]O sites exist. Moreover, the lp MIL-53(Al) framework is accessible to oxygen, leading to a notable broadening of the VIV[double bond, length as m-dash]O EPR spectrum at pressures of a few mbar, while such effect is absent for the np-h and np-d states for pressures up to 1 bar.

7.
J Magn Reson ; 259: 87-94, 2015 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26302270

ABSTRACT

The sites of incorporation of Cu(2+) impurity ions in Bi12GeO20 single crystals co-doped with copper and vanadium have been investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). While the X-band EPR spectra consist of a simple broad (ΔB ∼50 mT) line with anisotropic lineshape, the W-band EPR spectra exhibit well resolved, strongly anisotropic lines, due to transitions within the 3d(9)-(2)D ground manifold of the Cu(2+) ions. The most intense group of lines, attributed to the dominant Cu(2+)(I) center, displays a characteristic four components hyperfine structure for magnetic field orientations close to a 〈110〉 direction. The g and A tensor main axes are very close to one of the 12 possible sets of orthogonal 〈1-10〉, 〈00-1〉 and 〈110〉 crystal directions. Several less intense lines, with unresolved hyperfine structure and similar symmetry properties, mostly overlapped by the Cu(2+)(I) spectrum, were attributed to Cu(2+)(II) centers. The two paramagnetic centers are identified as substitutional Cu(2+) ions at Bi(3+) sites with low C1 symmetry, very likely resulting from different configurations of neighboring charge compensating defects.

8.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 17(15): 9619-23, 2015 Apr 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25779759

ABSTRACT

Lead phthalocyanine (PbPc) thin films of 5 and 50 nm have been deposited on hydrogen and oxygen terminated single crystal diamond (SCD) using organic molecular beam deposition. Atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies showed that PbPc grown on the hydrogen terminated SCD forms layers with a high degree of crystallinity, dominated by the monoclinic (320) orientation parallel to the diamond surface. The oxygen terminated diamond led to a randomly oriented PbPc film. Absorption and photocurrent measurements indicated the presence of both polymorphs of PbPc, however, the ratio differed depending on the termination of the SCD. Finally, polarized Raman spectroscopy was used to determine the orientation of the molecules of the thin film. The results confirmed the random orientation on the O-terminated diamond. On SCD:H, the PbPc molecules are lying down in accordance with the XRD results.

9.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 16(21): 10032-40, 2014 Jun 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24488368

ABSTRACT

2,5-Dithienylthiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole (DTTzTz) derivatives have high potential for solution-processed organic field-effect transistors and solar cells, both as electron acceptors and donors. Here, the electronic structure of positive and negative radicals (polarons) of two functionalized DTTzTz materials is studied using multi-frequency and multi-resonance electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in combination with density functional theory (DFT). It is shown that the negative and positive DTTzTz polarons can be distinguished on the basis of their characteristic EPR parameters. The chemically induced polarons are compared to light-generated states observed in a blend of one of the DTTzTz derivatives with a donor polymer. The study gives in-depth information about the spread of the electron or hole in the DTTzTz molecules.

10.
Dalton Trans ; 42(15): 5252-7, 2013 Apr 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23474583

ABSTRACT

Reaction of the deprotonated N-thiophosphorylated thiourea 2-PyNHC(S)NHP(S)(OiPr)2 (HL) with NiCl2 leads to the complex [Ni{2-PyNHC(S)NP(S)(OiPr)2}2] ([NiL2]) with unprecedented 1,5,7-N,N',S-coordination of the ligand. Recrystallization of [NiL2] from a mixture of CH2Cl2­n-hexane or acetone­n-hexane leads to [Ni(L-1,5,7-N,N',S)2]·CH2Cl2 and [Ni(L-1,5,7-N,N',S)2], respectively. The latter complex, in turn, shows a temperature-induced polymorphism. [NiL2] in solution shows a paramagnetic distorted octahedral structure where the metal center is coordinated through the nitrogen atoms of the phosphorylamide and pyridyl group functions, and oxygen atoms of the phosphorylamide unit. Furthermore, in the solid state at low temperature, [Ni(L-1,5,7-N,N',S)2] is shown from high-frequency EPR measurements to possess an S = 1 ground state with large anisotropy.

11.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 14(45): 15774-84, 2012 Dec 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23093029

ABSTRACT

A series of three 5'-aryl-2,5-dithienylthiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole (DTTzTz) semiconducting molecules with different aryl substituents has been investigated as alternative acceptor materials in combination with the donor polymer poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MDMO-PPV) in order to evaluate the photoinduced charge transfer (CT) efficiency in the resulting blends, designed towards possible application in organic photovoltaics. Photoluminescence quenching together with polaron detection by electron paramagnetic resonance and photoinduced absorption (PIA) demonstrate an increasing charge transfer efficiency when the DTTzTz substituents are varied from thien-2-yl to 4-trifluoromethylphenyl and 4-cyanophenyl groups, correlating well with the increasing acceptor strength in this series of molecules. In line with this observation, there is a decrease in the effective optical bandgap relative to pure MDMO-PPV that becomes more pronounced along this series of acceptor compounds, reaching 0.12 eV in the blend with 4-CN-Ph-DTTzTz. Intermolecular interactions between the blend components lead to lower energy transitions which are found to contribute significantly to the device external quantum efficiency. The high V(OC) reached in devices based on MDMO-PPV:4-CN-Ph-DTTzTz blends meets the expectations for such a donor:acceptor combination. However, thermal activation of charge carrier recombination occurs because of the weak driving force for charge transfer, as shown by time-dependent PIA measurements, and this is suggested as a cause for the observed low photovoltaic performance.


Subject(s)
Electric Power Supplies , Organic Chemicals/chemistry , Polyvinyls/chemistry , Solar Energy , Thiazoles/chemistry , Luminescence , Molecular Structure , Organic Chemicals/chemical synthesis , Thiazoles/chemical synthesis
12.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 13(41): 18516-22, 2011 Nov 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21952118

ABSTRACT

Using a combination of multi-frequency EPR and NMR spectroscopy and quantum-chemical calculations at the level of Density Functional Theory (DFT), the organization of self-doped PPV oligomers in their solid state is investigated. The analysis of the different spectra shows that the electrochemical procedure used to self-dope these materials produces positive radicals (polarons) in an almost quantitative way, but still magnetically isolated polarons are observed. The difference between chemical and electrochemical oxidation of the oligomers is studied in detail. Furthermore, ageing of the electrochemically oxidized oligomers may be accompanied by a stacking of the oligomers.

13.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 13(9): 3942-51, 2011 Mar 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21221433

ABSTRACT

We investigated by W-band (94 GHz) transient electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) and photoinduced absorption (PIA) spectroscopy two fullerene derivatives bearing a nitroxide radical unit. After pulsed laser photoexcitation of the molecules in liquid toluene solution, complex EPR spectra are recorded, with lines in absorption and emission. The intrinsic higher spectral and temporal resolution of the W-band frequency leads to the assignment of all the lines in the spectrum and the determination of the sign and the absolute value of the exchange coupling between the fullerene in its photoexcited triplet state (S(T) = 1) and the radical (S(R) = 1/2). The two compounds with different fullerene-nitroxide spacers show opposite-ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic-exchange couplings. The time evolution of the spectra and the polarization of the lines are interpreted in terms of several possible spin polarization mechanisms. The EPR measurements are complemented with PIA experiments.

14.
J Am Chem Soc ; 132(46): 16467-78, 2010 Nov 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21033705

ABSTRACT

The first hyperpolarizability (ß) dispersion curve is measured for the first time for an octupolar nonlinear optical (NLO) molecule (crystal violet, CV) and modeled theoretically, yielding an in-depth understanding of the electronic structure and vibronic and solvation effects on such octupolar conjugated systems. Tunable wavelength hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) measurements were performed on this prototypical octupolar molecule in the broad fundamental wavelength range of 620-1580 nm, showing significant shortcomings of the commonly used ß dispersion models. Three well-separated ß resonances involving the lowest-energy state and several higher excited states are clearly observed, including a significant contribution from a nominally one-photon forbidden transition. The experimental results for second-harmonic wavelengths above 330 nm are successfully modeled by means of a vibronically coupled essential-state description for octupolar chromophores, developed by Terenziani et al. (J. Phys. Chem. B 2008, 112, 5079), which takes into account polar solvation effects. The relative intensities of the various resonances, including the one below 330 nm, are also quantified by quantum chemical calculations. Furthermore, interesting effects of inhomogeneous broadening due to polar solvation of the two-dimensional chromophore are recognized in both linear and nonlinear spectra, allowing us to quantitatively address the long-standing problem of the band shape of the linear absorption spectrum of CV. This clearly demonstrates that extensive wavelength-dependent HRS measurements, as presented in this work, are essential to the characterization and design of NLO materials and represent a powerful tool to gain valuable information on molecular excitations and environmental effects in general.

15.
ACS Nano ; 4(11): 6717-24, 2010 Nov 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20958073

ABSTRACT

A simple and quantitative, self-calibrating spectroscopic technique for the determination of the ratio of metallic to semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in a bulk sample is presented. The technique is based on the measurement of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum of the SWCNT sample to which cobalt(II)octaethylporphyrin (CoOEP) probe molecules have been added. This yields signals from both CoOEP molecules on metallic and on semiconducting tubes, which are easily distinguished and accurately characterized in this work. By applying this technique to a variety of SWCNT samples produced by different synthesis methods, it is shown that these signals for metallic and semiconducting tubes are independent of other factors such as tube length, defect density, and diameter, allowing the intensities of both signals for arbitrary samples to be retrieved by a straightforward least-squares regression. The technique is self-calibrating in that the EPR intensity can be directly related to the number of spins (number of CoOEP probe molecules), and as the adsorption of the CoOEP molecules is itself found to be unbiased toward metallic or semiconducting tubes, the measured intensities can be directly related to the mass percentage of metallic and semiconducting tubes in the bulk SWCNT sample. With the use of this method it was found that for some samples the metallic/semiconducting ratios strongly differed from the usual 1:2 ratio.


Subject(s)
Cobalt/chemistry , Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy/methods , Metalloporphyrins/chemistry , Nanotubes, Carbon/chemistry , Semiconductors , Absorption , Optical Phenomena , Reproducibility of Results
16.
Phys Rev Lett ; 104(20): 207401, 2010 May 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20867062

ABSTRACT

Single-file transport of water into carbon nanotubes is experimentally demonstrated for the first time through the splitting of the radial breathing mode (RBM) vibration in Raman spectra of bile salt solubilized tubes when both empty (closed) and water-filled (open-ended) tubes are present. D2O filling is observed for a wide range of diameters, d, down to very thin tubes [e.g., (5,3) tube, d=0.548 nm] for which only a single water molecule fits in the cross section of the internal nanotube channel. The shift in RBM frequency upon filling is found to display a very complex dependence on nanotube diameter and chirality, in support of a different yet well-defined ordering and orientation of water molecules at room temperature. Large shifts of the electronic transitions are also observed.

17.
Opt Express ; 17(6): 4587-604, 2009 Mar 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19293888

ABSTRACT

A very sensitive experimental setup for accurate wavelength-dependent hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) measurements of the molecular first hyperpolarizability beta in the broad fundamental wavelength range of 600 to 1800 nm is presented. The setup makes use of a stable continuously tunable picosecond optical parametric amplifier with kilohertz repetition rate. To correct for multi-photon fluorescence, a small spectral range around the second harmonic wavelength is detected in parallel using a spectrograph coupled to an intensified charge-coupled device. Reliable calibration against the pure solvent is possible over the full accessible spectral range. An extensive set of wavelength-dependent HRS calibration data for a wide range of solvents is presented, and very accurate measurements of the beta dispersion of the well-known nonlinear optical chromophore Disperse Red 1 are demonstrated.

18.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 10(47): 7129-38, 2008 Dec 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19039347

ABSTRACT

The W-band continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis of chemically induced polarons in drop-cast and spin-coated polyphenylenevinylene-type and polythiophene-type polymer films reveals rhombic g tensors in both cases. The dependence of the W-band EPR signals on the orientation of the spin-coated films with respect to the magnetic field indicates a high degree of backbone alignment with the substrate and allows a partial assignment of the g tensor orientation. The derived molecular orientations of the polymer chains in the spin-coated films show clear differences between the two types of polymers. The proton hyperfine interactions obtained from X-band HYSCORE (hyperfine sublevel correlation) and Q- and W-band pulsed ENDOR (electron-nuclear double resonance) experiments are interpreted in terms of earlier theoretical studies on the extension of the polarons.

19.
Chemphyschem ; 9(13): 1930-41, 2008 Sep 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18712730

ABSTRACT

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are noncovalently functionalised with octaethylporphyrins (OEPs) and the resulting nanohybrids are isolated from the free OEPs. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy of cobalt(II)OEP, adsorbed on the nanotube walls by pi-pi-stacking, demonstrates that the CNTs act as electron acceptors. EPR is shown to be very effective in resolving the different interactions for metallic and semiconducting tubes. Moreover, molecular oxygen is shown to bind selectively to nanohybrids with semiconducting tubes. Water solubilisation of the porphyrin/CNT nanohybrids using bile salts, after applying a thorough washing procedure, yields solutions in which at least 99% of the porphyrins are interacting with the CNTs. Due to this purification, we observe, for the first time, the isolated absorption spectrum of the interacting porphyrins, which is strongly red-shifted compared to the free porphyrin absorption. In addition a quasi-complete quenching of the porphyrin fluorescence is also observed.


Subject(s)
Metals/chemistry , Nanotubes, Carbon/chemistry , Porphyrins/chemistry , Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy , Semiconductors , Solubility , Spectrum Analysis , Temperature , Time Factors
20.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 9(39): 5320-9, 2007 Oct 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17914467

ABSTRACT

Fe(3+) ions in hexagonal and cubic fluoroelpasolite crystals (A(1)(2)B(I)M(III)F(6)) have been investigated in a combined Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) and Electron Nuclear Double Resonance (ENDOR) study. A detailed analysis of the ENDOR spectra for the nearest (19)F and (23)Na shells in X (9.5 GHz) and Q band (34 GHz) allowed the complex EPR spectra to be disentangled and to determine the spin Hamiltonian parameters for the various S = 5/2 Fe(3+) centres. W-band (95 GHz) EPR measurements as a function of temperature were performed to provide unambiguous evidence about the absolute signs of the Zero Field Splitting (ZFS) and SuperHyperFine (SHF) parameters for Fe(3+) in Cs(2)NaAlF(6) as already determined from the ENDOR work. It could be concluded that all principal (19)F hyperfine values were positive, in agreement with earlier assignments in the literature for related systems. A comparative analysis of the (19)F SHF data for Fe(3+) at a perfectly octahedral site in the cubic crystal, and at two slightly trigonally distorted environments in the hexagonal crystals, indicates that the metal-to-ligand distance changes upon doping. The obtained set of parameters concerning one defect in various analogous environments can furthermore be used to test different methods of theoretical calculations for ZFS and SHF values.

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