Syntheses and properties of graphyne fragments: trigonally expanded dehydrobenzo[12]annulenes.

We present herein the synthesis and properties of the largest hitherto unknown graphyne fragment, namely trigonally expanded tetrakis(dehydrobenzo[12]annulene)s (tetrakis-DBAs). Intramolecular three-fold alkyne metathesis reactions of hexakis(arylethynyl)DBAs 9 a and 9 b using Fürstner's Mo catalyst furnished tetrakis-DBAs 8 a and 8 b substituted with tert-butyl or branched alkyl ester groups in moderate and fair yields, respectively, demonstrating that the metathesis reaction of this protocol is a powerful tool for the construction of graphyne fragment backbones. For comparison, hexakis(arylethynyl)DBAs 9 c-g have also been prepared. The one-photon absorption spectrum of tetrakis-DBA 8 a bearing tert-butyl groups revealed a remarkable bathochromic shift of the absorption cut-off (λcutoff ) compared with those of previously reported graphyne fragments due to extended π-conjugation. Moreover, in the two-photon absorption spectrum, 8 a showed a large cross-section for a pure hydrocarbon because of the planar para-phenylene-ethynylene conjugation pathways. Hexakis(arylethynyl)-DBAs 9 c-e and 9 g and tetrakis-DBA 8 b bearing electron-withdrawing groups aggregated in chloroform solutions. Comparison between the free energies of 9 e and 8 b bearing the same substituents revealed the more favorable association of the latter due to stronger π-π interactions between the extended π-cores. Polarized optical microscopy observations, DSC, and XRD measurements showed that 8 b and 9 e with branched alkyl ester groups displayed columnar rectangular mesophases. By the time-resolved microwave conductivity method, the columnar rectangular phase of 8 b was shown to exhibit a moderate charge-carrier mobility of 0.12 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) . These results indicate that large graphyne fragments can serve as good organic semiconductors.

A versatile approach to organic photovoltaics evaluation using white light pulse and microwave conductivity.

State-of-the-art low band gap conjugated polymers have been investigated for application in organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) to achieve efficient conversion of the wide spectrum of sunlight into electricity. A remarkable improvement in power conversion efficiency (PCE) has been achieved through the use of innovative materials and device structures. However, a reliable technique for the rapid screening of the materials and processes is a prerequisite toward faster development in this area. Here we report the realization of such a versatile evaluation technique for bulk heterojunction OPVs by the combination of time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) and submicrosecond white light pulse from a Xe-flash lamp. Xe-flash TRMC allows examination of the OPV active layer without requiring fabrication of the actual device. The transient photoconductivity maxima, involving information on generation efficiency, mobility, and lifetime of charge carriers in four well-known low band gap polymers blended with phenyl-C(61)-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), were confirmed to universally correlate with the PCE divided by the open circuit voltage (PCE/V(oc)), offering a facile way to predict photovoltaic performance without device fabrication.

Comprehensive approach to intrinsic charge carrier mobility in conjugated organic molecules, macromolecules, and supramolecular architectures.

Si-based inorganic electronics have long dominated the semiconductor industry. However, in recent years conjugated polymers have attracted increasing attention because such systems are flexible and offer the potential for low-cost, large-area production via roll-to-roll processing. The state-of-the-art organic conjugated molecular crystals can exhibit charge carrier mobilities (µ) that nearly match or even exceed that of amorphous silicon (1-10 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1)). The mean free path of the charge carriers estimated from these mobilities corresponds to the typical intersite (intermolecular) hopping distances in conjugated organic materials, which strongly suggests that the conduction model for the electronic band structure only applies to µ > 1 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) for the translational motion of the charge carriers. However, to analyze the transport mechanism in organic electronics, researchers conventionally use a disorder formalism, where µ is usually less than 1 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and dominated by impurities, disorders, or defects that disturb the long-range translational motion. In this Account, we discuss the relationship between the alternating-current and direct-current mobilities of charge carriers, using time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) and other techniques including field-effect transistor, time-of-flight, and space-charge limited current. TRMC measures the nanometer-scale mobility of charge carriers under an oscillating microwave electric field with no contact between the semiconductors and the metals. This separation allows us to evaluate the intrinsic charge carrier mobility with minimal trapping effects. We review a wide variety of organic electronics in terms of their charge carrier mobilities, and we describe recent studies of macromolecules, molecular crystals, and supramolecular architecture. For example, a rigid poly(phenylene-co-ethynylene) included in permethylated cyclodextrin shows a high intramolecular hole mobility of 0.5 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), based on a combination of flash-photolysis TRMC and transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) measurements. Single-crystal rubrene showed an ambipolarity with anisotropic charge carrier transport along each crystal axis on the nanometer scale. Finally, we describe the charge carrier mobility of a self-assembled nanotube consisting of a large π-plane of hexabenzocoronene (HBC) partially appended with an electron acceptor. The local (intratubular) charge carrier mobility reached 3 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) for the nanotubes that possessed well-ordered π-stacking, but it dropped to 0.7 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) in regions that contained greater amounts of the electron acceptor because those molecules reduced the structural integrity of π-stacked HBC arrays. Interestingly, the long-range (intertubular) charge carrier mobility was on the order of 10(-4) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and monotonically decreased when the acceptor content was increased. These results suggest the importance of investigating charge carrier mobilities by frequency-dependent charge carrier motion for the development of more efficient organic electronic devices.

Self-condensed nanoparticles of oligofluorenes with water-soluble side chains.

Self-condensation of the amphiphilic fluorene trimer occurs in the solvent mixture, giving pure "green" fluorescent nanoparticles with controlled radii of 20-100 nm. The origin of the green fluorescence is attributed to the excimer emission via excitation of aggregated dimer structures in the nanoparticles rather than the keto-defects. The present study also suggests the possibility of spectral tuning of emissions from oligofluorene aggregates.

Electronic structure and optical properties of charged oligofluorenes studied by VIS/NIR spectroscopy and time-dependent density functional theory.

The electronic structure and optical properties of charged oligofluorenes were studied experimentally and theoretically. Measurements of the optical absorption spectra of charged oligofluorenes in dilute solutions have been performed by using the pulse radiolysis technique. In addition, optical absorption spectra of radical cations and anions in a solid matrix were measured after gamma-irradiation at 77 K. The optical absorption spectra were measured in the range of 440-2100 nm (0.6-2.8 eV) and compared with results from time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations. The calculated charge induced deformations and charge distribution do not indicate the occurrence of polaronic effects. The potential energy profiles for rotation around the inter-unit bond show that oligofluorenes are nonplanar in their neutral state, while they tend to more planar structures in their charged state. The optical absorption spectra of charged oligofluorenes are dependent on the angle between neighboring units. TDDFT absorption energies shift to lower values with increasing chain length, which suggests that the charge delocalizes along the oligomer chain.

Increase in the mobility of photogenerated positive charge carriers in polythiophene.

We report the increase in the mobility of charge carriers in regioregular poly 3-hexyl thiophene (RR-P3HT) films by mixing them with tetracyanoethylene (TCNE), which is examined by in situ time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) and transient optical spectroscopy (TOS). TCNE acts not only as an electron acceptor which increases the number of charge carriers on photoexposure but also as a functional additive which enhances the mobility of the charge carriers. This conclusion was deduced from the results of fluorescence quenching, transient optical absorption and photobleaching, and comparison of the TRMC signal with the TOS signal. The combination of the TRMC and TOS techniques represents a comprehensive and fully experimental approach to the determination of the intrinsic carrier mobility in conjugated polymers.

Photogeneration of charge carriers and their transport properties in poly[bis(p-n-butylphenyl)silane].

The photocarrier generation mechanism and mobility in poly[bis(p-n-butylphenyl)silane] (PBPS) thin films doped with a variety of electron acceptors are studied by time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) measurements. It was found that fullerene is a suitable electron acceptor for PBPS as it provides the highest product of photocarrier generation yield phi and mobility Sigmamu under excitation at 532 and 355 nm. The observed high phiSigmamu value of 4.5 x 10(-3) cm(2)/(V s) under excitation at 193 nm (6.39 eV) can be attributed to the direct ionization of PBPS molecules. The photoinduced electron transfer between C(60) and PBPS was investigated in a solution sample by laser flash photolysis under excitation at 532 nm. On the basis of the extinction coefficient of PBPS(*+), transient absorption of PBPS(*+) provides a maximum value of phi of 0.83% for the electron-transfer reaction from PBPS to (3)C(60). On the basis of this value of phi, the intrinsic intrachain mobility of holes on the PBPS backbone is estimated to be higher than 1.7 x 10(-2) cm(2)/(V s), suggesting the presence of a high conducting path along the Si backbone of PBPS.

Dynamics of positive charge carriers on Si chains of polysilanes.

The transient absorption of radical cations of a variety of substituted polysilanes is discussed quantitatively in terms of the molar extinction coefficient and oscillator strength by nanosecond pulse radiolysis. Oxygen-saturated polysilane solutions in benzene exhibit a strong transient absorption band ascribed to the polysilane radical cation. The transient species react with N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylene-diamine (TMPD) to produce TMPD radical cations. On the basis of the molar extinction coefficient of the TMPD radical cation, the molar extinction coefficients for the radical cations of polysilanes are found to increase in the range 3.3 x 10(4) to 2.0 x 10(5) M(-)(1) cm(-)(1) with increasing polymer segment length. The stepwise increase in the total oscillator strength with an increase in the number of phenyl rings directly bonded to the Si skeleton suggests the delocalization of the positive polaron state and/or the SOMO state over the phenyl rings, indicating the importance of phenyl rings in intermolecular hole transfer processes.