Sample records for molecular charge transfer

  1. Charge migration and charge transfer in molecular systems

    PubMed Central

    Wörner, Hans Jakob; Arrell, Christopher A.; Banerji, Natalie; Cannizzo, Andrea; Chergui, Majed; Das, Akshaya K.; Hamm, Peter; Keller, Ursula; Kraus, Peter M.; Liberatore, Elisa; Lopez-Tarifa, Pablo; Lucchini, Matteo; Meuwly, Markus; Milne, Chris; Moser, Jacques-E.; Rothlisberger, Ursula; Smolentsev, Grigory; Teuscher, Joël; van Bokhoven, Jeroen A.; Wenger, Oliver

    2017-01-01

    The transfer of charge at the molecular level plays a fundamental role in many areas of chemistry, physics, biology and materials science. Today, more than 60 years after the seminal work of R. A. Marcus, charge transfer is still a very active field of research. An important recent impetus comes from the ability to resolve ever faster temporal events, down to the attosecond time scale. Such a high temporal resolution now offers the possibility to unravel the most elementary quantum dynamics of both electrons and nuclei that participate in the complex process of charge transfer. This review covers recent research that addresses the following questions. Can we reconstruct the migration of charge across a molecule on the atomic length and electronic time scales? Can we use strong laser fields to control charge migration? Can we temporally resolve and understand intramolecular charge transfer in dissociative ionization of small molecules, in transition-metal complexes and in conjugated polymers? Can we tailor molecular systems towards specific charge-transfer processes? What are the time scales of the elementary steps of charge transfer in liquids and nanoparticles? Important new insights into each of these topics, obtained from state-of-the-art ultrafast spectroscopy and/or theoretical methods, are summarized in this review. PMID:29333473

  2. Charge-transfer crystallites as molecular electrical dopants

    PubMed Central

    Méndez, Henry; Heimel, Georg; Winkler, Stefanie; Frisch, Johannes; Opitz, Andreas; Sauer, Katrein; Wegner, Berthold; Oehzelt, Martin; Röthel, Christian; Duhm, Steffen; Többens, Daniel; Koch, Norbert; Salzmann, Ingo

    2015-01-01

    Ground-state integer charge transfer is commonly regarded as the basic mechanism of molecular electrical doping in both, conjugated polymers and oligomers. Here, we demonstrate that fundamentally different processes can occur in the two types of organic semiconductors instead. Using complementary experimental techniques supported by theory, we contrast a polythiophene, where molecular p-doping leads to integer charge transfer reportedly localized to one quaterthiophene backbone segment, to the quaterthiophene oligomer itself. Despite a comparable relative increase in conductivity, we observe only partial charge transfer for the latter. In contrast to the parent polymer, pronounced intermolecular frontier-orbital hybridization of oligomer and dopant in 1:1 mixed-stack co-crystallites leads to the emergence of empty electronic states within the energy gap of the surrounding quaterthiophene matrix. It is their Fermi–Dirac occupation that yields mobile charge carriers and, therefore, the co-crystallites—rather than individual acceptor molecules—should be regarded as the dopants in such systems. PMID:26440403

  3. Frenkel versus charge-transfer exciton dispersion in molecular crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cudazzo, Pierluigi; Gatti, Matteo; Rubio, Angel; Sottile, Francesco

    2013-11-01

    By solving the many-body Bethe-Salpeter equation at finite momentum transfer, we characterize the exciton dispersion in two prototypical molecular crystals, picene and pentacene, in which localized Frenkel excitons compete with delocalized charge-transfer excitons. We explain the exciton dispersion on the basis of the interplay between electron and hole hopping and electron-hole exchange interaction, unraveling a simple microscopic description to distinguish Frenkel and charge-transfer excitons. This analysis is general and can be applied to other systems in which the electron wave functions are strongly localized, as in strongly correlated insulators.

  4. Charge transfer in model peptides: obtaining Marcus parameters from molecular simulation.

    PubMed

    Heck, Alexander; Woiczikowski, P Benjamin; Kubař, Tomáš; Giese, Bernd; Elstner, Marcus; Steinbrecher, Thomas B

    2012-02-23

    Charge transfer within and between biomolecules remains a highly active field of biophysics. Due to the complexities of real systems, model compounds are a useful alternative to study the mechanistic fundamentals of charge transfer. In recent years, such model experiments have been underpinned by molecular simulation methods as well. In this work, we study electron hole transfer in helical model peptides by means of molecular dynamics simulations. A theoretical framework to extract Marcus parameters of charge transfer from simulations is presented. We find that the peptides form stable helical structures with sequence dependent small deviations from ideal PPII helices. We identify direct exposure of charged side chains to solvent as a cause of high reorganization energies, significantly larger than typical for electron transfer in proteins. This, together with small direct couplings, makes long-range superexchange electron transport in this system very slow. In good agreement with experiment, direct transfer between the terminal amino acid side chains can be dicounted in favor of a two-step hopping process if appropriate bridging groups exist. © 2012 American Chemical Society

  5. Reduced Charge Transfer Exciton Recombination in Organic Semiconductor Heterojunctions by Molecular Doping

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deschler, Felix; da Como, Enrico; Limmer, Thomas; Tautz, Raphael; Godde, Tillmann; Bayer, Manfred; von Hauff, Elizabeth; Yilmaz, Seyfullah; Allard, Sybille; Scherf, Ullrich; Feldmann, Jochen

    2011-09-01

    We investigate the effect of molecular doping on the recombination of electrons and holes localized at conjugated-polymer-fullerene interfaces. We demonstrate that a low concentration of p-type dopant molecules (<4% weight) reduces the interfacial recombination via charge transfer excitons and results in a favored formation of separated carriers. This is observed by the ultrafast quenching of photoluminescence from charge transfer excitons and the increase in photoinduced polaron density by ˜70%. The results are consistent with a reduced formation of emissive charge transfer excitons, induced by state filling of tail states.

  6. Proton transfer to charged platinum electrodes. A molecular dynamics trajectory study.

    PubMed

    Wilhelm, Florian; Schmickler, Wolfgang; Spohr, Eckhard

    2010-05-05

    A recently developed empirical valence bond (EVB) model for proton transfer on Pt(111) electrodes (Wilhelm et al 2008 J. Phys. Chem. C 112 10814) has been applied in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of a water film in contact with a charged Pt surface. A total of seven negative surface charge densities σ between -7.5 and -18.9 µC cm(-2) were investigated. For each value of σ, between 30 and 84 initial conditions of a solvated proton within a water slab were sampled, and the trajectories were integrated until discharge of a proton occurred on the charged surfaces. We have calculated the mean rates for discharge and for adsorption of solvated protons within the adsorbed water layer in contact with the metal electrode as a function of surface charge density. For the less negative values of σ we observe a Tafel-like exponential increase of discharge rate with decreasing σ. At the more negative values this exponential increase levels off and the discharge process is apparently transport limited. Mechanistically, the Tafel regime corresponds to a stepwise proton transfer: first, a proton is transferred from the bulk into the contact water layer, which is followed by transfer of a proton to the charged surface and concomitant discharge. At the more negative surface charge densities the proton transfer into the contact water layer and the transfer of another proton to the surface and its discharge occur almost simultaneously.

  7. Molecular Structures and Momentum Transfer Cross Sections: The Influence of the Analyte Charge Distribution.

    PubMed

    Young, Meggie N; Bleiholder, Christian

    2017-04-01

    Structure elucidation by ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry methods is based on the comparison of an experimentally measured momentum transfer cross-section to cross-sections calculated for model structures. Thus, it is imperative that the calculated cross-section must be accurate. However, it is not fully understood how important it is to accurately model the charge distribution of an analyte ion when calculating momentum transfer cross-sections. Here, we calculate and compare momentum transfer cross-sections for carbon clusters that differ in mass, charge state, and mode of charge distribution, and vary temperature and polarizability of the buffer gas. Our data indicate that the detailed distribution of the ion charge density is intimately linked to the contribution of glancing collisions to the momentum transfer cross-section. The data suggest that analyte ions with molecular mass ~3 kDa or momentum transfer cross-section 400-500 Å 2 would be significantly influenced by the charge distribution in nitrogen buffer gas. Our data further suggest that accurate structure elucidation on the basis of IMS-MS data measured in nitrogen buffer gas must account for the molecular charge distribution even for systems as large as C 960 (~12 kDa) when localized charges are present and/or measurements are conducted under cryogenic temperatures. Finally, our data underscore that accurate structure elucidation is unlikely if ion mobility data recorded in one buffer gas is converted into other buffer gases when electronic properties of the buffer gases differ. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

  8. Molecular control of pentacene/ZnO photoinduced charge transfer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spalenka, Josef W.; Paoprasert, Peerasak; Franking, Ryan; Hamers, Robert J.; Gopalan, Padma; Evans, Paul G.

    2011-03-01

    Photoinduced charge transfer modifies the device properties of illuminated pentacene field effect transistors (FETs) incorporating ZnO quantum dots at the gate insulator/pentacene interface. The transferred charge is trapped on electronic states associated with the ZnO quantum dots, with a steady state population approximately proportional to the rate of organic-inorganic charge transfer. Trapped charge shifts the threshold voltage of the FETs, providing the means to evaluate the rate of organic/inorganic charge transfer and the effects of interface modification. Monolayers of the wide-gap alkane stearic acid and the conjugated oligomer terthiophene attached to the ZnO suppress or permit charge transfer, respectively.

  9. Charge exchange molecular ion source

    DOEpatents

    Vella, Michael C.

    2003-06-03

    Ions, particularly molecular ions with multiple dopant nucleons per ion, are produced by charge exchange. An ion source contains a minimum of two regions separated by a physical barrier and utilizes charge exchange to enhance production of a desired ion species. The essential elements are a plasma chamber for production of ions of a first species, a physical separator, and a charge transfer chamber where ions of the first species from the plasma chamber undergo charge exchange or transfer with the reactant atom or molecules to produce ions of a second species. Molecular ions may be produced which are useful for ion implantation.

  10. Molecular orbital (SCF-Xα-SW) theory of metal-metal charge transfer processes in minerals - II. Application to Fe2+ --> Ti4+ charge transfer transitions in oxides and silicates

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sherman, David M.

    1987-01-01

    A molecular orbital description, based on Xα-Scattered wave calculations on a (FeTiO10)14− cluster, is given for Fe2+ → Ti4+ charge transfer transitions in minerals. The calculated energy for the lowest Fe2+ → Ti4+ metal-metal charge transfer transition is 18040 cm−1 in reasonable agreement with energies observed in the optical spectra of Fe-Ti oxides and silicates. As in the case of Fe2+ → Fe3+ charge transfer in mixed-valence iron oxides and silicates, Fe2+ → Ti4+ charge transfer is associated with Fe-Ti bonding across shared polyhedral edges. Such bonding results from the overlap of the Fe(t 2g ) and Ti(t 2g ) 3d orbitals.

  11. Intra-molecular Charge Transfer and Electron Delocalization in Non-fullerene Organic Solar Cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wu, Qinghe; Zhao, Donglin; Goldey, Matthew B.

    Two types of electron acceptors were synthesized by coupling two kinds of electron-rich cores with four equivalent perylene diimides (PDIs) at the a position. With fully aromatic cores, TPB and TPSe have pi-orbitals spread continuously over the whole aromatic conjugated backbone, unlike TPC and TPSi, which contain isolated PDI units due to the use of a tetrahedron carbon or silicon linker. Density functional theory calculations of the projected density of states showed that the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) for TPB are localized in separate regions of space. Further, the LUMO of TPB showsmore » a greater contribution from the orbitals belonging to the connective core of the molecules than that of TPC. Overall, the properties of the HOMO and LUMO point at increased intra-molecular delocalization of negative charge carriers for TPB and TPSe than for TPC and TPSi and hence at a more facile intra-molecular charge transfer for the former. The film absorption and emission spectra showed evidences for the inter -molecular electron delocalization in TPB and TPSe, which is consistent with the network structure revealed by X-ray diffraction studies on single crystals of TPB. These features benefit the formation of charge transfer states and/or facilitate charge transport. Thus, higher electron mobility and higher charge dissociation probabilities under J(sc) condition were observed in blend films of TPB:PTB7-Th and TPSe:PTB7-Th than those in TPC:PTB7Th and TPSi:PTB7-Th blend films. As a result, the J(sc) and fill factor values of 15.02 mA/cm(2), 0.58 and 14.36 mA/cm(2), 0.55 for TPB- and TPSe-based solar cell are observed, whereas those for TPC and TPSi are 11.55 mA/cm2, 0.47 and 10.35 mA/cm(2), 0.42, respectively.« less

  12. Strategies to enhance the excitation energy-transfer efficiency in a light-harvesting system using the intra-molecular charge transfer character of carotenoids

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yukihira, Nao; Sugai, Yuko; Fujiwara, Masazumi

    Fucoxanthin is a carotenoid that is mainly found in light-harvesting complexes from brown algae and diatoms. Due to the presence of a carbonyl group attached to polyene chains in polar environments, excitation produces an excited intra-molecular charge transfer. This intra-molecular charge transfer state plays a key role in the highly efficient (~95%) energy-transfer from fucoxanthin to chlorophyllain the light-harvesting complexes from brown algae. In purple bacterial light-harvesting systems the efficiency of excitation energy-transfer from carotenoids to bacteriochlorophylls depends on the extent of conjugation of the carotenoids. In this study we were successful, for the first time, in incorporating fucoxanthin intomore » a light-harvesting complex 1 from the purple photosynthetic bacterium,Rhodospirillum rubrumG9+ (a carotenoidless strain). Femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy was applied to this reconstituted light-harvesting complex in order to determine the efficiency of excitation energy-transfer from fucoxanthin to bacteriochlorophyllawhen they are bound to the light-harvesting 1 apo-proteins.« less

  13. Tuning electronic properties of graphene nanoflake polyaromatic hydrocarbon through molecular charge-transfer interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Vaishali; Dabhi, Shweta D.; Shinde, Satyam; Jha, Prafulla K.

    2018-05-01

    By means of first principles calculation we have tuned the electronic properties of graphene nanoflake polyaromatic hydrocarbon via molecular charge transfer. Acceptor/donor Tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and Tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) organic molecules are adsorbed on polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in order to introduce the charge transfer. The substrate's n- or p- type nature depends on the accepting/donating behavior of dopant molecules. Two different classes of PAH (extended form of triangulene) namely Bow-tie graphene nanoflake (BTGNF) and triangular zigzag graphene nanoflake (TZGNF). It is revealed that all the TCNQ and TTF modified graphene nanoflakes exhibit significant changes in HOMO-LUMO gap in range from 0.58 eV to 0.64 eV and 0.01 eV to 0.05 eV respectively. The adsorption energies are in the range of -0.05 kcal/mol to -2.6 kcal/mol. The change in work function is also calculated and discussed, the maximum charge transfer is for TCNQ adsorbed BTGNF. These alluring findings in the tuning of electronic properties will be advantageous for promoting graphene nanoflake polyaromatic hydrocarbon for their applications in electronic devices.

  14. Molecular layers of ZnPc and FePc on Au(111) surface: Charge transfer and chemical interaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahmadi, Sareh; Shariati, M. Nina; Yu, Shun; Göthelid, Mats

    2012-08-01

    We have studied zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and iron phthalocyanine (FePc) thick films and monolayers on Au(111) using photoelectron spectroscopy and x-ray absorption spectroscopy. Both molecules are adsorbed flat on the surface at monolayer. ZnPc keeps this orientation in all investigated coverages, whereas FePc molecules stand up in the thick film. The stronger inter-molecular interaction of FePc molecules leads to change of orientation, as well as higher conductivity in FePc layer in comparison with ZnPc, which is reflected in thickness-dependent differences in core-level shifts. Work function changes indicate that both molecules donate charge to Au; through the π-system. However, the Fe3d derived lowest unoccupied molecular orbital receives charge from the substrate when forming an interface state at the Fermi level. Thus, the central atom plays an important role in mediating the charge, but the charge transfer as a whole is a balance between the two different charge transfer channels; π-system and the central atom.

  15. An Electronic Structure Approach to Charge Transfer and Transport in Molecular Building Blocks for Organic Optoelectronics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hendrickson, Heidi Phillips

    A fundamental understanding of charge separation in organic materials is necessary for the rational design of optoelectronic devices suited for renewable energy applications and requires a combination of theoretical, computational, and experimental methods. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent (TD)DFT are cost effective ab-initio approaches for calculating fundamental properties of large molecular systems, however conventional DFT methods have been known to fail in accurately characterizing frontier orbital gaps and charge transfer states in molecular systems. In this dissertation, these shortcomings are addressed by implementing an optimally-tuned range-separated hybrid (OT-RSH) functional approach within DFT and TDDFT. The first part of this thesis presents the way in which RSH-DFT addresses the shortcomings in conventional DFT. Environmentally-corrected RSH-DFT frontier orbital energies are shown to correspond to thin film measurements for a set of organic semiconducting molecules. Likewise, the improved RSH-TDDFT description of charge transfer excitations is benchmarked using a model ethene dimer and silsesquioxane molecules. In the second part of this thesis, RSH-DFT is applied to chromophore-functionalized silsesquioxanes, which are currently investigated as candidates for building blocks in optoelectronic applications. RSH-DFT provides insight into the nature of absorptive and emissive states in silsesquioxanes. While absorption primarily involves transitions localized on one chromophore, charge transfer between chromophores and between chromophore and silsesquioxane cage have been identified. The RSH-DFT approach, including a protocol accounting for complex environmental effects on charge transfer energies, was tested and validated against experimental measurements. The third part of this thesis addresses quantum transport through nano-scale junctions. The ability to quantify a molecular junction via spectroscopic methods is crucial to their

  16. Molecular Engineering for Enhanced Charge Transfer in Thin-Film Photoanode.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jeong Soo; Kim, Byung-Man; Kim, Un-Young; Shin, HyeonOh; Nam, Jung Seung; Roh, Deok-Ho; Park, Jun-Hyeok; Kwon, Tae-Hyuk

    2017-10-11

    We developed three types of dithieno[3,2-b;2',3'-d]thiophene (DTT)-based organic sensitizers for high-performance thin photoactive TiO 2 films and investigated the simple but powerful molecular engineering of different types of bonding between the triarylamine electron donor and the conjugated DTT π-bridge by the introduction of single, double, and triple bonds. As a result, with only 1.3 μm transparent and 2.5-μm TiO 2 scattering layers, the triple-bond sensitizer (T-DAHTDTT) shows the highest power conversion efficiency (η = 8.4%; V OC = 0.73 V, J SC = 15.4 mA·cm -2 , and FF = 0.75) in an iodine electrolyte system under one solar illumination (AM 1.5, 1000 W·m -2 ), followed by the single-bond sensitizer (S-DAHTDTT) (η = 7.6%) and the double-bond sensitizer (D-DAHTDTT) (η = 6.4%). We suggest that the superior performance of T-DAHTDTT comes from enhanced intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) induced by the triple bond. Consequently, T-DAHTDTT exhibits the most active photoelectron injection and charge transport on a TiO 2 film during operation, which leads to the highest photocurrent density among the systems studied. We analyzed these correlations mainly in terms of charge injection efficiency, level of photocharge storage, and charge-transport kinetics. This study suggests that the molecular engineering of a triple bond between the electron donor and the π-bridge of a sensitizer increases the performance of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) with a thin photoactive film by enhancing not only J SC through improved ICT but also V OC through the evenly distributed sensitizer surface coverage.

  17. Charge-transfer cross sections in collisions of ground-state Ca and H+

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dutta, C. M.; Oubre, C.; Nordlander, P.; Kimura, M.; Dalgarno, A.

    2006-03-01

    We have investigated collisions of Ca(4s2) with H+ in the energy range of 200eV/u-10keV/u using the semiclassical molecular-orbital close-coupling (MOCC) method with 18 coupled molecular states ( 11Σ+1 and seven Π+1 states) to determine charge-transfer cross sections. Except for the incoming channel 6Σ+1 , the molecular states all correspond to charge-transfer channels. Inclusion of Ca2+-H- is crucial in the configuration-interaction calculation for generating the molecular wave functions and potentials. Because of the Coulomb attraction, the state separating to Ca2+-H- creates many avoided crossings, even though at infinite separation it lies energetically above all other states that we included. Because of the avoided crossings between the incoming channel 6Σ+1 and the energetically close charge-transfer channel 7Σ+1 the charge-transfer interaction occurs at long range. This makes calculations of charge-transfer cross sections by the MOCC method very challenging. The total charge-transfer cross sections increase monotonically from 3.4×10-15cm2 at 200eV/u to 4.5×10-15cm2 at 10keV/u . Charge transfer occurs mostly to the excited Ca+(5p) state in the entire energy range, which is the sum of the charge transfer to 7Σ+1 and 4Π+1 . It accounts for ˜47% of the total charge transfer cross sections at 200eV/u . However, as the energy increases, transfer to Ca+(4d) increases, and at 10keV/u the charge-transfer cross sections for Ca+(5p) and Ca+(4d) become comparable, each giving ˜38% of the total cross section.

  18. Fragment-orbital tunneling currents and electronic couplings for analysis of molecular charge-transfer systems.

    PubMed

    Hwang, Sang-Yeon; Kim, Jaewook; Kim, Woo Youn

    2018-04-04

    In theoretical charge-transfer research, calculation of the electronic coupling element is crucial for examining the degree of the electronic donor-acceptor interaction. The tunneling current (TC), representing the magnitudes and directions of electron flow, provides a way of evaluating electronic couplings, along with the ability of visualizing how electrons flow in systems. Here, we applied the TC theory to π-conjugated organic dimer systems, in the form of our fragment-orbital tunneling current (FOTC) method, which uses the frontier molecular-orbitals of system fragments as diabatic states. For a comprehensive test of FOTC, we assessed how reasonable the computed electronic couplings and the corresponding TC densities are for the hole- and electron-transfer databases HAB11 and HAB7. FOTC gave 12.5% mean relative unsigned error with regard to the high-level ab initio reference. The shown performance is comparable with that of fragment-orbital density functional theory, which gave the same error by 20.6% or 13.9% depending on the formulation. In the test of a set of nucleobase π stacks, we showed that the original TC expression is also applicable to nondegenerate cases under the condition that the overlap between the charge distributions of diabatic states is small enough to offset the energy difference. Lastly, we carried out visual analysis on the FOTC densities of thiophene dimers with different intermolecular alignments. The result depicts an intimate topological connection between the system geometry and electron flow. Our work provides quantitative and qualitative grounds for FOTC, showing it to be a versatile tool in characterization of molecular charge-transfer systems.

  19. Molecular dynamics and charge transport in organic semiconductors: a classical approach to modeling electron transfer

    DOE PAGES

    Pelzer, Kenley M.; Vázquez-Mayagoitia, Álvaro; Ratcliff, Laura E.; ...

    2017-01-01

    Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are a promising carbon-neutral energy conversion technology, with recent improvements pushing power conversion efficiencies over 10%. A major factor limiting OPV performance is inefficiency of charge transport in organic semiconducting materials (OSCs). Due to strong coupling with lattice degrees of freedom, the charges form polarons, localized quasi-particles comprised of charges dressed with phonons. These polarons can be conceptualized as pseudo-atoms with a greater effective mass than a bare charge. Here we propose that due to this increased mass, polarons can be modeled with Langevin molecular dynamics (LMD), a classical approach with a computational cost much lower thanmore » most quantum mechanical methods. Here we present LMD simulations of charge transfer between a pair of fullerene molecules, which commonly serve as electron acceptors in OSCs. We find transfer rates consistent with experimental measurements of charge mobility, suggesting that this method may provide quantitative predictions of efficiency when used to simulate materials on the device scale. Our approach also offers information that is not captured in the overall transfer rate or mobility: in the simulation data, we observe exactly when and why intermolecular transfer events occur. In addition, we demonstrate that these simulations can shed light on the properties of polarons in OSCs. In conclusion, much remains to be learned about these quasi-particles, and there are no widely accepted methods for calculating properties such as effective mass and friction. Lastly, our model offers a promising approach to exploring mass and friction as well as providing insight into the details of polaron transport in OSCs.« less

  20. Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules Charge-Charge Transfer-Dipolar Polarization Classification of Infrared Intensities.

    PubMed

    Duarte, Leonardo J; Richter, Wagner E; Silva, Arnaldo F; Bruns, Roy E

    2017-10-26

    Fundamental infrared vibrational transition intensities of gas-phase molecules are sensitive probes of changes in electronic structure accompanying small molecular distortions. Models containing charge, charge transfer, and dipolar polarization effects are necessary for a successful classification of the C-H, C-F, and C-Cl stretching and bending intensities. C-H stretching and in-plane bending vibrations involving sp 3 carbon atoms have small equilibrium charge contributions and are accurately modeled by the charge transfer-counterpolarization contribution and its interaction with equilibrium charge movement. Large C-F and C═O stretching intensities have dominant equilibrium charge movement contributions compared to their charge transfer-dipolar polarization ones and are accurately estimated by equilibrium charge and the interaction contribution. The C-F and C-Cl bending modes have charge and charge transfer-dipolar polarization contribution sums that are of similar size but opposite sign to their interaction values resulting in small intensities. Experimental in-plane C-H bends have small average intensities of 12.6 ± 10.4 km mol -1 owing to negligible charge contributions and charge transfer-counterpolarization cancellations, whereas their average out-of-plane experimental intensities are much larger, 65.7 ± 20.0 km mol -1 , as charge transfer is zero and only dipolar polarization takes place. The C-F bending intensities have large charge contributions but very small intensities. Their average experimental out-of-plane intensity of 9.9 ± 12.6 km mol -1 arises from the cancellation of large charge contributions by dipolar polarization contributions. The experimental average in-plane C-F bending intensity, 5.8 ± 7.3 km mol -1 , is also small owing to charge and charge transfer-counterpolarization sums being canceled by their interaction contributions. Models containing only atomic charges and their fluxes are incapable of describing electronic structure

  1. Charge transfer in TATB and HMX under extreme conditions.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Chaoyang; Ma, Yu; Jiang, Daojian

    2012-11-01

    Charge transfer is usually accompanied by structural changes in materials under different conditions. However, the charge transfer in energetic materials that are subjected to extreme conditions has seldom been explored by researchers. In the work described here, the charge transfer in single molecules and unit cells of the explosives TATB and HMX under high temperatures and high pressures was investigated by performing static and dynamic calculations using three DFT methods, including the PWC functional of LDA, and the BLYP and PBE functionals of GGA. The results showed that negative charge is transferred from the nitro groups of molecular or crystalline TATB and HMX when they are heated. All DFT calculations for the compressed TATB unit cell indicate that, generally, negative charge transfer occurs to its nitro groups as the compression increases. PWC and PBE calculations for crystalline HMX show that negative charge is first transferred to the nitro groups but, as the compression increases, the negative charge is transferred from the nitro groups. However, the BLYP calculations indicated that there was gradual negative charge transfer to the nitro groups of HMX, similar to the case for TATB. The unrelaxed state of the uniformly compressed TATB causes negative charge to be transferred from its nitro groups, in contrast to what is seen in the relaxed state. Charge transfer in TATB is predicted to occur much more easily than in HMX.

  2. First principles molecular dynamics of molten NaI: Structure, self-diffusion, polarization effects, and charge transfer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Galamba, N.; Costa Cabral, B. J.

    2007-09-01

    The structure and self-diffusion of NaI and NaCl at temperatures close to their melting points are studied by first principles Hellmann-Feynman molecular dynamics (HFMD). The results are compared with classical MD using rigid-ion (RI) and shell-model (ShM) interionic potentials. HFMD for NaCl was reported before at a higher temperature [N. Galamba and B. J. Costa Cabral, J. Chem. Phys. 126, 124502 (2007)]. The main differences between the structures predicted by HFMD and RI MD for NaI concern the cation-cation and the anion-cation pair correlation functions. A ShM which allows only for the polarization of I- reproduces the main features of the HFMD structure of NaI. The inclusion of polarization effects for both ionic species leads to a more structured ionic liquid, although a good agreement with HFMD is also observed. HFMD Green-Kubo self-diffusion coefficients are larger than those obtained from RI and ShM simulations. A qualitative study of charge transfer in molten NaI and NaCl was also carried out with the Hirshfeld charge partitioning method. Charge transfer in molten NaI is comparable to that in NaCl, and results for NaCl at two temperatures support the view that the magnitude of charge transfer is weakly state dependent for ionic systems. Finally, Hirshfeld charge distributions indicate that differences between RI and HFMD results are mainly related to polarization effects, while the influence of charge transfer fluctuations is minimal for these systems.

  3. What Controls the Rate of Ultrafast Charge Transfer and Charge Separation Efficiency in Organic Photovoltaic Blends.

    PubMed

    Jakowetz, Andreas C; Böhm, Marcus L; Zhang, Jiangbin; Sadhanala, Aditya; Huettner, Sven; Bakulin, Artem A; Rao, Akshay; Friend, Richard H

    2016-09-14

    In solar energy harvesting devices based on molecular semiconductors, such as organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and artificial photosynthetic systems, Frenkel excitons must be dissociated via charge transfer at heterojunctions to yield free charges. What controls the rate and efficiency of charge transfer and charge separation is an important question, as it determines the overall power conversion efficiency (PCE) of these systems. In bulk heterojunctions between polymer donor and fullerene acceptors, which provide a model system to understand the fundamental dynamics of electron transfer in molecular systems, it has been established that the first step of photoinduced electron transfer can be fast, of order 100 fs. But here we report the first study which correlates differences in the electron transfer rate with electronic structure and morphology, achieved with sub-20 fs time resolution pump-probe spectroscopy. We vary both the fullerene substitution and donor/fullerene ratio which allow us to control both aggregate size and the energetic driving force for charge transfer. We observe a range of electron transfer times from polymer to fullerene, from 240 fs to as short as 37 fs. Using ultrafast electro-optical pump-push-photocurrent spectroscopy, we find the yield of free versus bound charges to be weakly dependent on the energetic driving force, but to be very strongly dependent on fullerene aggregate size and packing. Our results point toward the importance of state accessibility and charge delocalization and suggest that energetic offsets between donor and acceptor levels are not an important criterion for efficient charge generation. This provides design rules for next-generation materials to minimize losses related to driving energy and boost PCE.

  4. DDT: participation in ultraviolet-detectable, charge-transfer complexation.

    PubMed

    Wilson, W E; Fishbein, L; Clements, S T

    1971-01-15

    The chlorophenyl groups of DDT and several of its metabolites are capable of participating in a charge-transfer interaction with tetracyanoethylene detectable in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum. In addition, during a change of state DDT undergoes ultraviolet spectral alterations that closely resemble those previously claimed to support the hypothesis suggesting charge-transfer interaction between this pesticide and a component of insect nerve tissue. The pesticide DDT possesses structural characteristics that would permit it to participate in several types of molecular association.

  5. Interfacial charge transfer absorption: Application to metal molecule assemblies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Creutz, Carol; Brunschwig, Bruce S.; Sutin, Norman

    2006-05-01

    Optically induced charge transfer between adsorbed molecules and a metal electrode was predicted by Hush to lead to new electronic absorption features, but has been only rarely observed experimentally. Interfacial charge transfer absorption (IFCTA) provides information concerning the barriers to charge transfer between molecules and the metal/semiconductor and the magnitude of the electronic coupling and could thus provide a powerful tool for understanding interfacial charge-transfer kinetics. Here, we utilize a previously published model [C. Creutz, B.S. Brunschwig, N. Sutin, J. Phys. Chem. B 109 (2005) 10251] to predict IFCTA spectra of metal-molecule assemblies and compare the literature observations to these predictions. We conclude that, in general, the electronic coupling between molecular adsorbates and the metal levels is so small that IFCTA is not detectable. However, few experiments designed to detect IFCTA have been done. We suggest approaches to optimizing the conditions for observing the process.

  6. Charge Transfer and Orbital Level Alignment at Inorganic/Organic Interfaces: The Role of Dielectric Interlayers.

    PubMed

    Hollerer, Michael; Lüftner, Daniel; Hurdax, Philipp; Ules, Thomas; Soubatch, Serguei; Tautz, Frank Stefan; Koller, Georg; Puschnig, Peter; Sterrer, Martin; Ramsey, Michael G

    2017-06-27

    It is becoming accepted that ultrathin dielectric layers on metals are not merely passive decoupling layers, but can actively influence orbital energy level alignment and charge transfer at interfaces. As such, they can be important in applications ranging from catalysis to organic electronics. However, the details at the molecular level are still under debate. In this study, we present a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon of charge transfer promoted by a dielectric interlayer with a comparative study of pentacene adsorbed on Ag(001) with and without an ultrathin MgO interlayer. Using scanning tunneling microscopy and photoemission tomography supported by density functional theory, we are able to identify the orbitals involved and quantify the degree of charge transfer in both cases. Fractional charge transfer occurs for pentacene adsorbed on Ag(001), while the presence of the ultrathin MgO interlayer promotes integer charge transfer with the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital transforming into a singly occupied and singly unoccupied state separated by a large gap around the Fermi energy. Our experimental approach allows a direct access to the individual factors governing the energy level alignment and charge-transfer processes for molecular adsorbates on inorganic substrates.

  7. AC electrical characterisation and insight to charge transfer mechanisms in DNA molecular wires through temperature and UV effects.

    PubMed

    Kassegne, Sam; Wibowo, Denni; Chi, James; Ramesh, Varsha; Narenji, Alaleh; Khosla, Ajit; Mokili, John

    2015-06-01

    In this study, AC characterisation of DNA molecular wires, effects of frequency, temperature and UV irradiation on their conductivity is presented. λ-DNA molecular wires suspended between high aspect-ratio electrodes exhibit highly frequency-dependent conductivity that approaches metal-like behaviour at high frequencies (∼MHz). Detailed temperature dependence experiments were performed that traced the impedance response of λ-DNA until its denaturation. UV irradiation experiments where conductivity was lost at higher and longer UV exposures helped to establish that it is indeed λ-DNA molecular wires that generate conductivity. The subsequent renaturation of λ-DNA resulted in the recovery of current conduction, providing yet another proof of the conducting DNA molecular wire bridge. The temperature results also revealed hysteretic and bi-modal impedance responses that could make DNA a candidate for nanoelectronics components like thermal transistors and switches. Further, these experiments shed light on the charge transfer mechanism in DNA. At higher temperatures, the expected increase in thermal-induced charge hopping may account for the decrease in impedance supporting the 'charge hopping mechanism' theory. UV light, on the other hand, causes damage to GC base-pairs and phosphate groups reducing the path available both for hopping and short-range tunneling mechanisms, and hence increasing impedance--this again supporting both the 'charge hopping' and 'tunneling' mechanism theories.

  8. Vibrationally-resolved Charge Transfer of O^3+ Ions with Molecular Hydrogen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, J. G.; Stancil, P. C.; Turner, A. R.; Cooper, D. L.

    2003-05-01

    Charge transfer processes due to collisions of ground state O^3+ ions with H2 are investigated using the quantum-mechanical molecular-orbital close-coupling (MOCC) method. The MOCC calculations utilize ab initio adiabatic potentials and nonadiabatic radial coupling matrix elements obtained with the spin-coupled valence-bond approach. Vibrationally-resolved cross sections for energies between 0.1 eV/u and 2 keV/u using the infinite order sudden approximation (IOSA), vibrational sudden approximation (VSA), and electronic approximation (EA), but including Frank-Condon factors (the centroid approximation) will be presented. Comparison with existing experimental data for total cross sections shows best agreement with IOSA and discrepancies for VSA and EA. Triplet-singlet cross section ratios obtained with IOSA are found generally to be in harmony with experiment. JGW and PCS acknowledge support from NASA grant 11453.

  9. Communication: Charge transfer dominates over proton transfer in the reaction of nitric acid with gas-phase hydrated electrons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lengyel, Jozef; Med, Jakub; Slavíček, Petr; Beyer, Martin K.

    2017-09-01

    The reaction of HNO3 with hydrated electrons (H2O)n- (n = 35-65) in the gas phase was studied using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Kinetic analysis of the experimental data shows that OH-(H2O)m is formed primarily via a reaction of the hydrated electron with HNO3 inside the cluster, while proton transfer is not observed and NO3-(H2O)m is just a secondary product. The reaction enthalpy was determined using nanocalorimetry, revealing a quite exothermic charge transfer with -241 ± 69 kJ mol-1. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations indicate that proton transfer is an allowed reaction pathway, but the overall thermochemistry favors charge transfer.

  10. Molecular orbital (SCF-X-α-SW) theory of Fe2+-Mn3+, Fe3+-Mn2+, and Fe3+-Mn3+ charge transfer and magnetic exchange in oxides and silicates

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sherman, David M.

    1990-01-01

    Metal-metal charge-transfer and magnetic exchange interactions have important effects on the optical spectra, crystal chemistry, and physics of minerals. Previous molecular orbital calculations have provided insight on the nature of Fe2+-Fe3+ and Fe2+-Ti4+ charge-transfer transitions in oxides and silicates. In this work, spin-unrestricted molecular orbital calculations on (FeMnO10) clusters are used to study the nature of magnetic exchange and electron delocalization (charge transfer) associated with Fe3+-Mn2+, Fe3+-Mn3+, and Fe2+-Mn3+ interactions in oxides and silicates. 

  11. Effect of Molecular Coupling on Ultrafast Electron-Transfer and Charge-Recombination Dynamics in a Wide-Gap ZnS Nanoaggregate Sensitized by Triphenyl Methane Dyes.

    PubMed

    Debnath, Tushar; Maity, Partha; Dana, Jayanta; Ghosh, Hirendra N

    2016-03-03

    Wide-band-gap ZnS nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized, and after sensitizing the NCs with series of triphenyl methane (TPM) dyes, ultrafast charge-transfer dynamics was demonstrated. HRTEM images of ZnS NCs show the formation of aggregate crystals with a flower-like structure. Exciton absorption and lumimescence, due to quantum confinement of the ZnS NCs, appear at approximately 310 and 340 nm, respectively. Interestingly, all the TPM dyes (pyrogallol red, bromopyrogallol red, and aurin tricarboxylic acid) form charge-transfer complexes with the ZnS NCs, with the appearance of a red-shifted band. Electron injection from the photoexcited TPM dyes into the conduction band of the ZnS NCs is shown to be a thermodynamically viable process, as confirmed by steady-state and time-resolved emission studies. To unravel charge-transfer (both electron injection and charge recombination) dynamics and the effect of molecular coupling, femtosecond transient absorption studies were carried out in TPM-sensitized ZnS NCs. The electron-injection dynamics is pulse-width-limited in all the ZnS/TPM dye systems, however, the back electron transfer differs, depending on the molecular coupling of the sensitizers (TPM dyes). The detailed mechanisms for the above-mentioned processes are discussed. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Intramolecular Charge Transfer States in the Condensed Phase

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Williams, C. F.; Herbert, J. M.

    2009-06-01

    Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT) with long range corrected functionals can give accurate results for the energies of electronically excited states involving Intramolecular Charge Transfer (ICT) in large molecules. If this is combined with a Molecular Mechanics (MM) representation of the surrounding solvent this technique can be used to interpret the results of condensed phase UV-Vis Spectroscopy. Often the MM region is represented by a set of point charges, however this means that the solvent cannot repolarize to adapt to the new charge distribution as a result of ICT and so the excitation energies to ICT states are overestimated. To solve this problem an algorithm that interfaces TDDFT with the polarizable force-field AMOEBA is presented; the effect of solvation on charge transfer in species such as 4,4'dimethylaminobenzonitrile (DMABN) is discussed. M.A. Rohrdanz, K.M. Martins, and J.M. Herbert, J. Chem. Phys. 130 034107 (2008).

  13. Charge-transfer modified embedded atom method dynamic charge potential for Li-Co-O system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kong, Fantai; Longo, Roberto C.; Liang, Chaoping; Nie, Yifan; Zheng, Yongping; Zhang, Chenxi; Cho, Kyeongjae

    2017-11-01

    To overcome the limitation of conventional fixed charge potential methods for the study of Li-ion battery cathode materials, a dynamic charge potential method, charge-transfer modified embedded atom method (CT-MEAM), has been developed and applied to the Li-Co-O ternary system. The accuracy of the potential has been tested and validated by reproducing a variety of structural and electrochemical properties of LiCoO2. A detailed analysis on the local charge distribution confirmed the capability of this potential for dynamic charge modeling. The transferability of the potential is also demonstrated by its reliability in describing Li-rich Li2CoO2 and Li-deficient LiCo2O4 compounds, including their phase stability, equilibrium volume, charge states and cathode voltages. These results demonstrate that the CT-MEAM dynamic charge potential could help to overcome the challenge of modeling complex ternary transition metal oxides. This work can promote molecular dynamics studies of Li ion cathode materials and other important transition metal oxides systems that involve complex electrochemical and catalytic reactions.

  14. Charge-transfer modified embedded atom method dynamic charge potential for Li-Co-O system.

    PubMed

    Kong, Fantai; Longo, Roberto C; Liang, Chaoping; Nie, Yifan; Zheng, Yongping; Zhang, Chenxi; Cho, Kyeongjae

    2017-11-29

    To overcome the limitation of conventional fixed charge potential methods for the study of Li-ion battery cathode materials, a dynamic charge potential method, charge-transfer modified embedded atom method (CT-MEAM), has been developed and applied to the Li-Co-O ternary system. The accuracy of the potential has been tested and validated by reproducing a variety of structural and electrochemical properties of LiCoO 2 . A detailed analysis on the local charge distribution confirmed the capability of this potential for dynamic charge modeling. The transferability of the potential is also demonstrated by its reliability in describing Li-rich Li 2 CoO 2 and Li-deficient LiCo 2 O 4 compounds, including their phase stability, equilibrium volume, charge states and cathode voltages. These results demonstrate that the CT-MEAM dynamic charge potential could help to overcome the challenge of modeling complex ternary transition metal oxides. This work can promote molecular dynamics studies of Li ion cathode materials and other important transition metal oxides systems that involve complex electrochemical and catalytic reactions.

  15. Photoinduced electron transfer in a molecular dyad by nanosecond pump-pump-probe spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Ha-Thi, M-H; Pham, V-T; Pino, T; Maslova, V; Quaranta, A; Lefumeux, C; Leibl, W; Aukauloo, A

    2018-06-01

    The design of robust and inexpensive molecular photocatalysts for the conversion of abundant stable molecules like H2O and CO2 into an energetic carrier is one of the major fundamental questions for scientists nowadays. The outstanding challenge is to couple single photoinduced charge separation events with the sequential accumulation of redox equivalents at the catalytic unit for performing multielectronic catalytic reactions. Herein, double excitation by nanosecond pump-pump-probe experiments was used to interrogate the photoinduced charge transfer and charge accumulation on a molecular dyad composed of a porphyrin chromophore and a ruthenium-based catalyst in the presence of a reversible electron acceptor. An accumulative charge transfer state is unattainable because of rapid reverse electron transfer to the photosensitizer upon the second excitation and the low driving force of the forward photodriven electron transfer reaction. Such a method allows the fundamental understanding of the relaxation mechanism after two sequential photon absorptions, deciphering the undesired electron transfer reactions that limit the charge accumulation efficiency. This study is a step toward the improvement of synthetic strategies of molecular photocatalysts for light-induced charge accumulation and more generally, for solar energy conversion.

  16. Theory of Excitation Transfer between Two-Dimensional Semiconductor and Molecular Layers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Specht, Judith F.; Verdenhalven, Eike; Bieniek, Björn; Rinke, Patrick; Knorr, Andreas; Richter, Marten

    2018-04-01

    The geometry-dependent energy transfer rate from an electrically pumped inorganic semiconductor quantum well into an organic molecular layer is studied theoretically. We focus on Förster-type nonradiative excitation transfer between the organic and inorganic layers and include quasimomentum conservation and intermolecular coupling between the molecules in the organic film. (Transition) partial charges calculated from density-functional theory are used to calculate the coupling elements. The partial charges describe the spatial charge distribution and go beyond the common dipole-dipole interaction. We find that the transfer rates are highly sensitive to variations in the geometry of the hybrid inorganic-organic system. For instance, the transfer efficiency is improved by up to 2 orders of magnitude by tuning the spatial arrangement of the molecules on the surface: Parameters of importance are the molecular packing density along the effective molecular dipole axis and the distance between the molecules and the surface. We also observe that the device performance strongly depends on the orientation of the molecular dipole moments relative to the substrate dipole moments determined by the inorganic crystal structure. Moreover, the operating regime is identified where inscattering dominates over unwanted backscattering from the molecular layer into the substrate.

  17. Charge-transfer channel in quantum dot-graphene hybrid materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cao, Shuo; Wang, Jingang; Ma, Fengcai; Sun, Mengtao

    2018-04-01

    The energy band theory of a classical semiconductor can qualitatively explain the charge-transfer process in low-dimensional hybrid colloidal quantum dot (QD)-graphene (GR) materials; however, the definite charge-transfer channels are not clear. Using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT, we simulate the hybrid QD-GR nanostructure, and by constructing its orbital interaction diagram, we show the quantitative coupling characteristics of the molecular orbitals (MOs) of the hybrid structure. The main MOs are derived from the fragment MOs (FOs) of GR, and the Cd13Se13 QD FOs merge with the GR FOs in a certain proportion to afford the hybrid system. Upon photoexcitation, electrons in the GR FOs jump to the QD FOs, leaving holes in the GR FOs, and the definite charge-transfer channels can be found by analyzing the complex MOs coupling. The excited electrons and remaining holes can also be localized in the GR or the QD or transfer between the QD and GR with different absorption energies. The charge-transfer process for the selected excited states of the hybrid QD-GR structure are testified by the charge difference density isosurface. The natural transition orbitals, charge-transfer length analysis and 2D site representation of the transition density matrix also verify the electron-hole delocalization, localization, or coherence chacracteristics of the selected excited states. Therefore, our research enhances understanding of the coupling mechanism of low-dimensional hybrid materials and will aid in the design and manipulation of hybrid photoelectric devices for practical application in many fields.

  18. Charge-transfer channel in quantum dot-graphene hybrid materials.

    PubMed

    Cao, Shuo; Wang, Jingang; Ma, Fengcai; Sun, Mengtao

    2018-04-06

    The energy band theory of a classical semiconductor can qualitatively explain the charge-transfer process in low-dimensional hybrid colloidal quantum dot (QD)-graphene (GR) materials; however, the definite charge-transfer channels are not clear. Using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT, we simulate the hybrid QD-GR nanostructure, and by constructing its orbital interaction diagram, we show the quantitative coupling characteristics of the molecular orbitals (MOs) of the hybrid structure. The main MOs are derived from the fragment MOs (FOs) of GR, and the Cd 13 Se 13 QD FOs merge with the GR FOs in a certain proportion to afford the hybrid system. Upon photoexcitation, electrons in the GR FOs jump to the QD FOs, leaving holes in the GR FOs, and the definite charge-transfer channels can be found by analyzing the complex MOs coupling. The excited electrons and remaining holes can also be localized in the GR or the QD or transfer between the QD and GR with different absorption energies. The charge-transfer process for the selected excited states of the hybrid QD-GR structure are testified by the charge difference density isosurface. The natural transition orbitals, charge-transfer length analysis and 2D site representation of the transition density matrix also verify the electron-hole delocalization, localization, or coherence chacracteristics of the selected excited states. Therefore, our research enhances understanding of the coupling mechanism of low-dimensional hybrid materials and will aid in the design and manipulation of hybrid photoelectric devices for practical application in many fields.

  19. Simulation of charge transfer and orbital rehybridization in molecular and condensed matter systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nistor, Razvan A.

    The mixing and shifting of electronic orbitals in molecules, or between atoms in bulk systems, is crucially important to the overall structure and physical properties of materials. Understanding and accurately modeling these orbital interactions is of both scientific and industrial relevance. Electronic orbitals can be perturbed in several ways. Doping, adding or removing electrons from systems, can change the bond-order and the physical properties of certain materials. Orbital rehybridization, driven by either thermal or pressure excitation, alters the short-range structure of materials and changes their long-range transport properties. Macroscopically, during bond formation, the shifting of electronic orbitals can be interpreted as a charge transfer phenomenon, as electron density may pile up around, and hence, alter the effective charge of, a given atom in the changing chemical environment. Several levels of theory exist to elucidate the mechanisms behind these orbital interactions. Electronic structure calculations solve the time-independent Schrodinger equation to high chemical accuracy, but are computationally expensive and limited to small system sizes and simulation times. Less fundamental atomistic calculations use simpler parameterized functional expressions called force-fields to model atomic interactions. Atomistic simulations can describe systems and time-scales larger and longer than electronic-structure methods, but at the cost of chemical accuracy. In this thesis, both first-principles and phenomenological methods are addressed in the study of several encompassing problems dealing with charge transfer and orbital rehybridization. Firstly, a new charge-equilibration method is developed that improves upon existing models to allow next-generation force-fields to describe the electrostatics of changing chemical environments. Secondly, electronic structure calculations are used to investigate the doping dependent energy landscapes of several high

  20. Lowest energy Frenkel and charge transfer exciton intermixing in one-dimensional copper phthalocyanine molecular lattice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bondarev, I. V.; Popescu, A.; Younts, R. A.; Hoffman, B.; McAfee, T.; Dougherty, D. B.; Gundogdu, K.; Ade, H. W.

    2016-11-01

    We report the results of the combined experimental and theoretical studies of the low-lying exciton states in crystalline copper phthalocyanine. We derive the eigen energy spectrum for the two lowest intramolecular Frenkel excitons coupled to the intermolecular charge transfer exciton state and compare it with temperature dependent optical absorption spectra measured experimentally, to obtain the parameters of the Frenkel-charge-transfer exciton intermixing. The two Frenkel exciton states are spaced apart by 0.26 eV, and the charge transfer exciton state is 50 meV above the lowest Frenkel exciton. Both Frenkel excitons are strongly mixed with the charge transfer exciton, showing the coupling constant 0.17 eV which agrees with earlier experimental measurements. These results can be used for the proper interpretation of the physical properties of crystalline phthalocyanines.

  1. Charge Transfer Reactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dennerl, Konrad

    2010-12-01

    Charge transfer, or charge exchange, describes a process in which an ion takes one or more electrons from another atom. Investigations of this fundamental process have accompanied atomic physics from its very beginning, and have been extended to astrophysical scenarios already many decades ago. Yet one important aspect of this process, i.e. its high efficiency in generating X-rays, was only revealed in 1996, when comets were discovered as a new class of X-ray sources. This finding has opened up an entirely new field of X-ray studies, with great impact due to the richness of the underlying atomic physics, as the X-rays are not generated by hot electrons, but by ions picking up electrons from cold gas. While comets still represent the best astrophysical laboratory for investigating the physics of charge transfer, various studies have already spotted a variety of other astrophysical locations, within and beyond our solar system, where X-rays may be generated by this process. They range from planetary atmospheres, the heliosphere, the interstellar medium and stars to galaxies and clusters of galaxies, where charge transfer may even be observationally linked to dark matter. This review attempts to put the various aspects of the study of charge transfer reactions into a broader historical context, with special emphasis on X-ray astrophysics, where the discovery of cometary X-ray emission may have stimulated a novel look at our universe.

  2. The effect of structural changes on charge transfer states in a light-harvesting carotenoid-diaryl-porphyrin-C{sub 60} molecular triad

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Olguin, Marco; Basurto, Luis; Zope, Rajendra R.

    We present a detailed study of charge transfer (CT) excited states for a large number of configurations in a light-harvesting Carotenoid-diaryl-Porphyrin-C{sub 60} (CPC{sub 60}) molecular triad. The chain-like molecular triad undergoes photoinduced charge transfer process exhibiting a large excited state dipole moment, making it suitable for application to molecular-scale opto-electronic devices. An important consideration is that the structural flexibility of the CPC{sub 60} triad impacts its dynamics in solvents. Since experimentally measured dipole moments for the triad of ∼110 D and ∼160 D strongly indicate a range in structural variability in the excited state, studying the effect of structural changesmore » on the CT excited state energetics furthers the understanding of its charge transfer states. We have calculated the variation in the lowest CT excited state energies by performing a scan of possible variation in the structure of the triad. Some of these configurations were generated by incrementally scanning a 360° torsional (dihedral) twist at the C{sub 60}-porhyrin linkage and the porphyrin-carotenoid linkage. Additionally, five different CPC{sub 60} conformations were studied to determine the effect of pi-conjugation and particle-hole Coulombic attraction on the CT excitation energies. Our calculations show that configurational changes in the triad induces a variation of ∼0.6 eV in CT excited state energies in the gas-phase. The corresponding calculated excited state dipoles show a range of 47 D–188 D. The absorption spectra and density of states of these structures show little variation except for the structures where the porphyrin and aryl conjugation is changed.« less

  3. The role of collective motion in the ultrafast charge transfer in van der Waals heterostructures

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Han; Bang, Junhyeok; Sun, Yiyang; ...

    2016-05-10

    Here, the success of van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures, made of graphene, metal dichalcogenides, and other layered materials, hinges on the understanding of charge transfer across the interface as the foundation for new device concepts and applications. In contrast to conventional heterostructures, where a strong interfacial coupling is essential to charge transfer, recent experimental findings indicate that vdW heterostructues can exhibit ultra-fast charge transfer despite the weak binding of the heterostructure. Using time-dependent density functional theory molecular dynamics, we identify a strong dynamic coupling between the vdW layers associated with charge transfer. This dynamic coupling results in rapid nonlinear coherentmore » charge oscillations which constitute a purely electronic phenomenon and are shown to be a general feature of vdW heterostructures provided they have a critical minimum dipole coupling. Application to MoS2/WS2 heterostructure yields good agreement with experiment, indicating near complete charge transfer within a timescale of 100 fs.The success of van der Waals heterostructures made of graphene, metal dichalcogenides and other layered materials, hinges on the understanding of charge transfer across the interface as the foundation for new device concepts and applications. In contrast to conventional heterostructures, where a strong interfacial coupling is essential to charge transfer, recent experimental findings indicate that van der Waals heterostructues can exhibit ultrafast charge transfer despite the weak binding of these heterostructures. Here we find, using time-dependent density functional theory molecular dynamics, that the collective motion of excitons at the interface leads to plasma oscillations associated with optical excitation. By constructing a simple model of the van der Waals heterostructure, we show that there exists an unexpected criticality of the oscillations, yielding rapid charge transfer across the

  4. The role of collective motion in the ultrafast charge transfer in van der Waals heterostructures

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Han; Bang, Junhyeok; Sun, Yiyang

    Here, the success of van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures, made of graphene, metal dichalcogenides, and other layered materials, hinges on the understanding of charge transfer across the interface as the foundation for new device concepts and applications. In contrast to conventional heterostructures, where a strong interfacial coupling is essential to charge transfer, recent experimental findings indicate that vdW heterostructues can exhibit ultra-fast charge transfer despite the weak binding of the heterostructure. Using time-dependent density functional theory molecular dynamics, we identify a strong dynamic coupling between the vdW layers associated with charge transfer. This dynamic coupling results in rapid nonlinear coherentmore » charge oscillations which constitute a purely electronic phenomenon and are shown to be a general feature of vdW heterostructures provided they have a critical minimum dipole coupling. Application to MoS2/WS2 heterostructure yields good agreement with experiment, indicating near complete charge transfer within a timescale of 100 fs.The success of van der Waals heterostructures made of graphene, metal dichalcogenides and other layered materials, hinges on the understanding of charge transfer across the interface as the foundation for new device concepts and applications. In contrast to conventional heterostructures, where a strong interfacial coupling is essential to charge transfer, recent experimental findings indicate that van der Waals heterostructues can exhibit ultrafast charge transfer despite the weak binding of these heterostructures. Here we find, using time-dependent density functional theory molecular dynamics, that the collective motion of excitons at the interface leads to plasma oscillations associated with optical excitation. By constructing a simple model of the van der Waals heterostructure, we show that there exists an unexpected criticality of the oscillations, yielding rapid charge transfer across the

  5. Altering intra- to inter-molecular hydrogen bonding by dimethylsulfoxide: A TDDFT study of charge transfer for coumarin 343

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xiaochun; Yin, Hang; Li, Hui; Shi, Ying

    2017-04-01

    DFT and TDDFT methods were carried out to investigate the influences of intramolecular and intermolecular hydrogen bonding on excited state charge transfer for coumarin 343 (C343). Intramolecular hydrogen bonding is formed between carboxylic acid group and carbonyl group in C343 monomer. However, in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solution, DMSO 'opens up' the intramolecular hydrogen bonding and forms solute-solvent intermolecular hydrogen bonded C343-DMSO complex. Analysis of frontier molecular orbitals reveals that intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) occurs in the first excited state both for C343 monomer and complex. The results of optimized geometric structures indicate that the intramolecular hydrogen bonding interaction is strengthened while the intermolecular hydrogen bonding is weakened in excited state, which is confirmed again by monitoring the shifts of characteristic peaks of infrared spectra. We demonstrated that DMSO solvent can not only break the intramolecular hydrogen bonding to form intermolecular hydrogen bonding with C343 but also alter the mechanism of excited state hydrogen bonding strengthening.

  6. Laboratory Studies of Thermal Energy Charge Transfer of Multiply Charged Ions in Astrophysical Plasmas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kwong, Victor H. S.

    2003-01-01

    The laser ablation/ion storage facility at the UNLV Physics Department has been dedicated to the study of atomic and molecular processes in low temperature plasmas. Our program focuses on the charge transfer (electron capture) of multiply charged ions and neutrals important in astrophysics. The electron transfer reactions with atoms and molecules is crucial to the ionization condition of neutral rich photoionized plasmas. With the successful deployment of the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) and the Chandra X-ray Observatory by NASA high resolution VUV and X-ray emission spectra fiom various astrophysical objects have been collected. These spectra will be analyzed to determine the source of the emission and the chemical and physical environment of the source. The proper interpretation of these spectra will require complete knowledge of all the atomic processes in these plasmas. In a neutral rich environment, charge transfer can be the dominant process. The rate coefficients need to be known accurately. We have also extended our charge transfer measurements to KeV region with a pulsed ion beam. The inclusion of this facility into our current program provides flexibility in extending the measurement to higher energies (KeV) if needed. This flexibility enables us to address issues of immediate interest to the astrophysical community as new observations are made by high resolution space based observatories.

  7. Flavin Charge Transfer Transitions Assist DNA Photolyase Electron Transfer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Skourtis, Spiros S.; Prytkova, Tatiana; Beratan, David N.

    2007-12-01

    This contribution describes molecular dynamics, semi-empirical and ab-initio studies of the primary photo-induced electron transfer reaction in DNA photolyase. DNA photolyases are FADH--containing proteins that repair UV-damaged DNA by photo-induced electron transfer. A DNA photolyase recognizes and binds to cyclobutatne pyrimidine dimer lesions of DNA. The protein repairs a bound lesion by transferring an electron to the lesion from FADH-, upon photo-excitation of FADH- with 350-450 nm light. We compute the lowest singlet excited states of FADH- in DNA photolyase using INDO/S configuration interaction, time-dependent density-functional, and time-dependent Hartree-Fock methods. The calculations identify the lowest singlet excited state of FADH- that is populated after photo-excitation and that acts as the electron donor. For this donor state we compute conformationally-averaged tunneling matrix elements to empty electron-acceptor states of a thymine dimer bound to photolyase. The conformational averaging involves different FADH--thymine dimer confromations obtained from molecular dynamics simulations of the solvated protein with a thymine dimer docked in its active site. The tunneling matrix element computations use INDO/S-level Green's function, energy splitting, and Generalized Mulliken-Hush methods. These calculations indicate that photo-excitation of FADH- causes a π→π* charge-transfer transition that shifts electron density to the side of the flavin isoalloxazine ring that is adjacent to the docked thymine dimer. This shift in electron density enhances the FADH--to-dimer electronic coupling, thus inducing rapid electron transfer.

  8. Ultrafast investigation of photoinduced charge transfer in aminoanthraquinone pharmaceutical product

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Song; Sun, Simei; Zhou, Miaomiao; Wang, Lian; Zhang, Bing

    2017-02-01

    We investigated the mechanism of intramolecular charge transfer and the following radiationless dynamics of the excited states of 1-aminoanthraquinone using steady state and time-resolved absorption spectroscopy combined with quantum chemical calculations. Following photoexcitation with 460 nm, conformational relaxation via twisting of the amino group, charge transfer and the intersystem crossing (ISC) processes have been established to be the major relaxation pathways responsible for the ultrafast nonradiative of the excited S1 state. Intramolecular proton transfer, which could be induced by intramolecular hydrogen bonding is inspected and excluded. Time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations reveal the change of the dipole moments of the S0 and S1 states along the twisted coordinate of the amino group, indicating the mechanism of twisted intra-molecular charge transfer (TICT). The timescale of TICT is measured to be 5 ps due to the conformational relaxation and a barrier on the S1 potential surface. The ISC from the S1 state to the triplet manifold is a main deactivation pathway with the decay time of 28 ps. Our results observed here have yield a physically intuitive and complete picture of the photoinduced charge transfer and radiationless dynamics in anthraquinone pharmaceutial products.

  9. Solvent Dependence of Lateral Charge Transfer in a Porphyrin Monolayer

    DOE PAGES

    Brennan, Bradley J.; Regan, Kevin P.; Durrell, Alec C.; ...

    2016-12-19

    Lateral charge transport in a redox)active monolayer can be utilized for solar energy harvesting. We chose the porphyrin system to study the influence of the solvent on lateral hole hopping, which plays a crucial role in the charge)transfer kinetics. We also examined the influence of water, acetonitrile, and propylene carbonate as solvents. Hole)hopping lifetimes varied by nearly three orders of magnitude among solvents, ranging from 3 ns in water to 2800 ns in propylene carbonate, and increased nonlinearly as a function of added acetonitrile in aqueous solvent mixtures. Our results elucidate the important roles of solvation, molecular packing dynamics, andmore » lateral charge)transfer mechanisms that have implications for all dye)sensitized photoelectrochemical device designs.« less

  10. Impact of interfacial molecular orientation on radiative recombination and charge generation efficiency

    DOE PAGES

    Ran, Niva A.; Roland, Steffen; Love, John A.; ...

    2017-07-19

    Here, a long standing question in organic electronics concerns the effects of molecular orientation at donor/acceptor heterojunctions. Given a well-controlled donor/acceptor bilayer system, we uncover the genuine effects of molecular orientation on charge generation and recombination. These effects are studied through the point of view of photovoltaics—however, the results have important implications on the operation of all optoelectronic devices with donor/acceptor interfaces, such as light emitting diodes and photodetectors. Our findings can be summarized by two points. First, devices with donor molecules face-on to the acceptor interface have a higher charge transfer state energy and less non-radiative recombination, resulting inmore » larger open-circuit voltages and higher radiative efficiencies. Second, devices with donor molecules edge-on to the acceptor interface are more efficient at charge generation, attributed to smaller electronic coupling between the charge transfer states and the ground state, and lower activation energy for charge generation.« less

  11. Crystallochromy of perylene pigments: Interference between Frenkel excitons and charge-transfer states

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gisslén, Linus; Scholz, Reinhard

    2009-09-01

    The optical properties of perylene-based pigments are arising from the interplay between neutral molecular excitations and charge transfer between adjacent molecules. In the crystalline phase, these excitations are coupled via electron and hole transfer, two quantities relating directly to the width of the conduction and valence band in the crystalline phase. Based on the crystal structure determined by x-ray diffraction, density-functional theory (DFT) and Hartree-Fock are used for the calculation of the electronic states of a dimer of stacked molecules. The resulting transfer parameters for electron and hole are used in an exciton model for the coupling between Frenkel excitons and charge-transfer states. The deformation of the positively or negatively charged molecular ions with respect to the neutral ground state is calculated with DFT and the geometry in the optically excited state is deduced from time-dependent DFT and constrained DFT. All of these deformations are interpreted in terms of the elongation of an effective internal vibration which is used subsequently in the exciton model for the crystalline phase. A comparison between the calculated dielectric function and the observed optical spectra allows to deduce the relative energetic position of Frenkel excitons and the charge-transfer state involving stack neighbors, a key parameter for various electronic and optoelectronic device applications. For five out of six perylene pigments studied in the present work, this exciton model results in excellent agreement between calculated and observed optical properties.

  12. Transition from direct to inverted charge transport Marcus regions in molecular junctions via molecular orbital gating

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yuan, Li; Wang, Lejia; Garrigues, Alvar R.; Jiang, Li; Annadata, Harshini Venkata; Anguera Antonana, Marta; Barco, Enrique; Nijhuis, Christian A.

    2018-04-01

    Solid-state molecular tunnel junctions are often assumed to operate in the Landauer regime, which describes essentially activationless coherent tunnelling processes. In solution, on the other hand, charge transfer is described by Marcus theory, which accounts for thermally activated processes. In practice, however, thermally activated transport phenomena are frequently observed also in solid-state molecular junctions but remain poorly understood. Here, we show experimentally the transition from the Marcus to the inverted Marcus region in a solid-state molecular tunnel junction by means of intra-molecular orbital gating that can be tuned via the chemical structure of the molecule and applied bias. In the inverted Marcus region, charge transport is incoherent, yet virtually independent of temperature. Our experimental results fit well to a theoretical model that combines Landauer and Marcus theories and may have implications for the interpretation of temperature-dependent charge transport measurements in molecular junctions.

  13. Tuning the role of charge-transfer states in intramolecular singlet exciton fission through side-group engineering.

    PubMed

    Lukman, Steven; Chen, Kai; Hodgkiss, Justin M; Turban, David H P; Hine, Nicholas D M; Dong, Shaoqiang; Wu, Jishan; Greenham, Neil C; Musser, Andrew J

    2016-12-07

    Understanding the mechanism of singlet exciton fission, in which a singlet exciton separates into a pair of triplet excitons, is crucial to the development of new chromophores for efficient fission-sensitized solar cells. The challenge of controlling molecular packing and energy levels in the solid state precludes clear determination of the singlet fission pathway. Here, we circumvent this difficulty by utilizing covalent dimers of pentacene with two types of side groups. We report rapid and efficient intramolecular singlet fission in both molecules, in one case via a virtual charge-transfer state and in the other via a distinct charge-transfer intermediate. The singlet fission pathway is governed by the energy gap between singlet and charge-transfer states, which change dynamically with molecular geometry but are primarily set by the side group. These results clearly establish the role of charge-transfer states in singlet fission and highlight the importance of solubilizing groups to optimize excited-state photophysics.

  14. Tuning the role of charge-transfer states in intramolecular singlet exciton fission through side-group engineering

    PubMed Central

    Lukman, Steven; Chen, Kai; Hodgkiss, Justin M.; Turban, David H. P.; Hine, Nicholas D. M.; Dong, Shaoqiang; Wu, Jishan; Greenham, Neil C.; Musser, Andrew J.

    2016-01-01

    Understanding the mechanism of singlet exciton fission, in which a singlet exciton separates into a pair of triplet excitons, is crucial to the development of new chromophores for efficient fission-sensitized solar cells. The challenge of controlling molecular packing and energy levels in the solid state precludes clear determination of the singlet fission pathway. Here, we circumvent this difficulty by utilizing covalent dimers of pentacene with two types of side groups. We report rapid and efficient intramolecular singlet fission in both molecules, in one case via a virtual charge-transfer state and in the other via a distinct charge-transfer intermediate. The singlet fission pathway is governed by the energy gap between singlet and charge-transfer states, which change dynamically with molecular geometry but are primarily set by the side group. These results clearly establish the role of charge-transfer states in singlet fission and highlight the importance of solubilizing groups to optimize excited-state photophysics. PMID:27924819

  15. Charge transport network dynamics in molecular aggregates

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jackson, Nicholas E.; Chen, Lin X.; Ratner, Mark A.

    2016-07-20

    Due to the nonperiodic nature of charge transport in disordered systems, generating insight into static charge transport networks, as well as analyzing the network dynamics, can be challenging. Here, we apply time-dependent network analysis to scrutinize the charge transport networks of two representative molecular semiconductors: a rigid n-type molecule, perylenediimide, and a flexible p-type molecule, bBDT(TDPP)2. Simulations reveal the relevant timescale for local transfer integral decorrelation to be ~100 fs, which is shown to be faster than that of a crystalline morphology of the same molecule. Using a simple graph metric, global network changes are observed over timescales competitive withmore » charge carrier lifetimes. These insights demonstrate that static charge transport networks are qualitatively inadequate, whereas average networks often overestimate network connectivity. Finally, a simple methodology for tracking dynamic charge transport properties is proposed.« less

  16. Incorporation of charge transfer into the explicit polarization fragment method by grand canonical density functional theory.

    PubMed

    Isegawa, Miho; Gao, Jiali; Truhlar, Donald G

    2011-08-28

    Molecular fragmentation algorithms provide a powerful approach to extending electronic structure methods to very large systems. Here we present a method for including charge transfer between molecular fragments in the explicit polarization (X-Pol) fragment method for calculating potential energy surfaces. In the conventional X-Pol method, the total charge of each fragment is preserved, and charge transfer between fragments is not allowed. The description of charge transfer is made possible by treating each fragment as an open system with respect to the number of electrons. To achieve this, we applied Mermin's finite temperature method to the X-Pol wave function. In the application of this method to X-Pol, the fragments are open systems that partially equilibrate their number of electrons through a quasithermodynamics electron reservoir. The number of electrons in a given fragment can take a fractional value, and the electrons of each fragment obey the Fermi-Dirac distribution. The equilibrium state for the electrons is determined by electronegativity equalization with conservation of the total number of electrons. The amount of charge transfer is controlled by re-interpreting the temperature parameter in the Fermi-Dirac distribution function as a coupling strength parameter. We determined this coupling parameter so as to reproduce the charge transfer energy obtained by block localized energy decomposition analysis. We apply the new method to ten systems, and we show that it can yield reasonable approximations to potential energy profiles, to charge transfer stabilization energies, and to the direction and amount of charge transferred. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

  17. Incorporation of charge transfer into the explicit polarization fragment method by grand canonical density functional theory

    PubMed Central

    Isegawa, Miho; Gao, Jiali; Truhlar, Donald G.

    2011-01-01

    Molecular fragmentation algorithms provide a powerful approach to extending electronic structure methods to very large systems. Here we present a method for including charge transfer between molecular fragments in the explicit polarization (X-Pol) fragment method for calculating potential energy surfaces. In the conventional X-Pol method, the total charge of each fragment is preserved, and charge transfer between fragments is not allowed. The description of charge transfer is made possible by treating each fragment as an open system with respect to the number of electrons. To achieve this, we applied Mermin's finite temperature method to the X-Pol wave function. In the application of this method to X-Pol, the fragments are open systems that partially equilibrate their number of electrons through a quasithermodynamics electron reservoir. The number of electrons in a given fragment can take a fractional value, and the electrons of each fragment obey the Fermi–Dirac distribution. The equilibrium state for the electrons is determined by electronegativity equalization with conservation of the total number of electrons. The amount of charge transfer is controlled by re-interpreting the temperature parameter in the Fermi–Dirac distribution function as a coupling strength parameter. We determined this coupling parameter so as to reproduce the charge transfer energy obtained by block localized energy decomposition analysis. We apply the new method to ten systems, and we show that it can yield reasonable approximations to potential energy profiles, to charge transfer stabilization energies, and to the direction and amount of charge transferred. PMID:21895159

  18. Coarse-Grained Theory of Biological Charge Transfer with Spatially and Temporally Correlated Noise.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chaoren; Beratan, David N; Zhang, Peng

    2016-04-21

    System-environment interactions are essential in determining charge-transfer (CT) rates and mechanisms. We developed a computationally accessible method, suitable to simulate CT in flexible molecules (i.e., DNA) with hundreds of sites, where the system-environment interactions are explicitly treated with numerical noise modeling of time-dependent site energies and couplings. The properties of the noise are tunable, providing us a flexible tool to investigate the detailed effects of correlated thermal fluctuations on CT mechanisms. The noise is parametrizable by molecular simulation and quantum calculation results of specific molecular systems, giving us better molecular resolution in simulating the system-environment interactions than sampling fluctuations from generic spectral density functions. The spatially correlated thermal fluctuations among different sites are naturally built-in in our method but are not readily incorporated using approximate spectral densities. Our method has quantitative accuracy in systems with small redox potential differences (charge delocalization and charge-transfer rates; however, in a system of units with different site energies, spatial correlations slow the fluctuations to bring units into degeneracy, in turn, slowing the charge-transfer rates. The spatial and temporal correlations of condensed phase medium fluctuations provide another source to control and tune the kinetics and dynamics of charge-transfer systems.

  19. Theoretical studies of charge transfer and proton transfer complex formation between 3,5-dinitrobenzic acid and 1,2-dimethylimidazole

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Afroz, Ziya; Faizan, Mohd.; Alam, Mohammad Jane; Ahmad, Shabbir; Ahmad, Afaq

    2018-05-01

    Natural atomic charge analysis and molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) surface analysis of hydrogen bonded charge transfer (HBCT) and proton transfer (PT) complex of 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid (DNBA) and 1,2-dimethylimidazole (DMI) have been investigated by theoretical modelling using widely employed DFT/B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. Along with this analysis, Hirshfeld surface study of the intermolecular interactions and associated 2D finger plot for reported PT complex between DNBA and DMI have been explored.

  20. Tuning the Direction of Intramolecular Charge Transfer and the Nature of the Fluorescent State in a T-Shaped Molecular Dyad.

    PubMed

    Felouat, Abdellah; D'Aléo, Anthony; Charaf-Eddin, Azzam; Jacquemin, Denis; Le Guennic, Boris; Kim, Eunsun; Lee, Kwang Jin; Woo, Jae Heun; Ribierre, Jean-Charles; Wu, Jeong Weon; Fages, Frédéric

    2015-06-18

    Controlling photoinduced intramolecular charge transfer at the molecular scale is key to the development of molecular devices for nanooptoelectronics. Here, we describe the design, synthesis, electronic characterization, and photophysical properties of two electron donor-acceptor molecular systems that consist of tolane and BF2-containing curcuminoid chromophoric subunits connected in a T-shaped arrangement. The two π-conjugated segments intersect at the electron acceptor dioxaborine core. From steady-state electronic absorption and fluorescence emission, we find that the photophysics of the dialkylamino-substituted analogue is governed by the occurrence of two closely lying excited states. From DFT calculations, we show that excitation in either of these two states results in a distinct shift of the electron density, whether it occurs along the curcuminoid or tolane moiety. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy confirmed these findings. As a consequence, the nature of the emitting state and the photophysical properties are strongly dependent on solvent polarity. Moreover, these characteristics can also be switched by protonation or complexation at the nitrogen atom of the amino group. These features set new approaches toward the construction of a three-terminal molecular system in which the lateral branch would transduce a change of electronic state and ultimately control charge transport in a molecular-scale device.

  1. DFT and TD-DFT computation of charge transfer complex between o-phenylenediamine and 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Afroz, Ziya; Zulkarnain,; Ahmad, Afaq, E-mail: afaqahmad3@gmail.com

    2016-05-23

    DFT and TD-DFT studies of o-phenylenediamine (PDA), 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNSA) and their charge transfer complex have been carried out at B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. Molecular geometry and various other molecular properties like natural atomic charges, ionization potential, electron affinity, band gap, natural bond orbital (NBO) and frontier molecular analysis have been presented at same level of theory. Frontier molecular orbital and natural bond orbital analysis show the charge delocalization from PDA to DNSA.

  2. Charge Transfer-Mediated Singlet Fission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Monahan, N.; Zhu, X.-Y.

    2015-04-01

    Singlet fission, the splitting of a singlet exciton into two triplet excitons in molecular materials, is interesting not only as a model many-electron problem, but also as a process with potential applications in solar energy conversion. Here we discuss limitations of the conventional four-electron and molecular dimer model in describing singlet fission in crystalline organic semiconductors, such as pentacene and tetracene. We emphasize the need to consider electronic delocalization, which is responsible for the decisive role played by the Mott-Wannier exciton, also called the charge transfer (CT) exciton, in mediating singlet fission. At the strong electronic coupling limit, the initial excitation creates a quantum superposition of singlet, CT, and triplet-pair states, and we present experimental evidence for this interpretation. We also discuss the most recent attempts at translating this mechanistic understanding into design principles for CT state-mediated intramolecular singlet fission in oligomers and polymers.

  3. Molecular-Scale Investigation of Heavy Metal Ions at a Charged Langmuir Monolayer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rock, William; Qiao, Baofu; Uysal, Ahmet; Bu, Wei; Lin, Binhua

    Solvent extraction - the surfactant-aided preferential transfer of a species from an aqueous to an organic phase - is an important technique used in heavy and precious metal refining and reprocessing. Solvent extraction requires transfer through an oil/water interface, and interfacial interactions are expected to control transfer kinetics and phase stability, yet these key interactions are poorly understood. Langmuir monolayers with charged headgroups atop concentrated salt solutions containing heavy metal ions act as a model of solvent extraction interfaces; studies of ions at a charged surface are also fundamentally important to many other phenomena including protein solvation, mineral surface chemistry, and electrochemistry. We probe these charged interfaces using a variety of surface-sensitive techniques - vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy, x-ray reflectivity (XRR), x-ray fluorescence near total reflection (XFNTR), and grazing incidence diffraction (GID). We integrate experiments with Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations to uncover the molecular-level interfacial structure. This work is supported by the U.S. DOE, BES, Contract DE-AC02-06CH11357. ChemMatCARS is supported by NSF/CHE-1346572.

  4. Charge-transfer complexes of phenylephrine with nitrobenzene derivatives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El-Mossalamy, E. H.

    2004-04-01

    The molecular charge-transfer complexes of phenylephrine with picric acid and m-dinitrobenzene have been studied and investigated by IR, 1H NMR electronic spectra in organic solvents and buffer solutions, respectively. Simple and selective methods are proposed for the determination of phenylephrine hydrochloride in bulk form and in tablets. The two methods are based on the formation of charge-transfer complexes between drug base as a n-donor (D) and picric acid, m-dinitrobenzene as π-acceptor (A). The products exhibit absorption maxima at 497 and 560 nm in acetonitrile for picric acid and m-dinitrobenzene, respectively. The coloured product exhibits an absorption maximum at 650 nm in dioxane. The sensitive kinetic methods for the determination phynylephrine hydrochloride are described. The method is based upon a kinetic investigation of the oxidation reaction of the drug with alkaline potassium permanganate at room temperature for a fixed time at 20 min.

  5. A molecularly based theory for electron transfer reorganization energy.

    PubMed

    Zhuang, Bilin; Wang, Zhen-Gang

    2015-12-14

    Using field-theoretic techniques, we develop a molecularly based dipolar self-consistent-field theory (DSCFT) for charge solvation in pure solvents under equilibrium and nonequilibrium conditions and apply it to the reorganization energy of electron transfer reactions. The DSCFT uses a set of molecular parameters, such as the solvent molecule's permanent dipole moment and polarizability, thus avoiding approximations that are inherent in treating the solvent as a linear dielectric medium. A simple, analytical expression for the free energy is obtained in terms of the equilibrium and nonequilibrium electrostatic potential profiles and electric susceptibilities, which are obtained by solving a set of self-consistent equations. With no adjustable parameters, the DSCFT predicts activation energies and reorganization energies in good agreement with previous experiments and calculations for the electron transfer between metallic ions. Because the DSCFT is able to describe the properties of the solvent in the immediate vicinity of the charges, it is unnecessary to distinguish between the inner-sphere and outer-sphere solvent molecules in the calculation of the reorganization energy as in previous work. Furthermore, examining the nonequilibrium free energy surfaces of electron transfer, we find that the nonequilibrium free energy is well approximated by a double parabola for self-exchange reactions, but the curvature of the nonequilibrium free energy surface depends on the charges of the electron-transferring species, contrary to the prediction by the linear dielectric theory.

  6. Charge transfer induced by MoO3 at boron subphthalocyanine chloride/α-sexithiophene heterojunction interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Foggiatto, Alexandre L.; Sakurai, Takeaki

    2018-03-01

    The energy-level alignment of boron subphthalocyanine chloride (SubPc)/α-sexithiophene (6T) grown on MoO3 was investigated using ultraviolet and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS and XPS). We demonstrated that the p-doping effect generated by the MoO3 layer can induce charge transfer at the organic-organic heterojunction interface. After the deposition of 6T on MoO3, the fermi level becomes pinned close to the 6T highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level and when SubPc is deposited, owing to its tail states, charge transfer occurs in order to achieve thermodynamic equilibrium. We also demonstrated that the charge transfer can be reduced by annealing the film. We suggested that the reduction of the misalignment on the film induces a reduction in the density of gap states, which controls the charge transfer.

  7. Using quantum dynamics simulations to follow the competition between charge migration and charge transfer in polyatomic molecules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spinlove, K. E.; Vacher, M.; Bearpark, M.; Robb, M. A.; Worth, G. A.

    2017-01-01

    Recent work, particularly by Cederbaum and co-workers, has identified the phenomenon of charge migration, whereby charge flow occurs over a static molecular framework after the creation of an electronic wavepacket. In a real molecule, this charge migration competes with charge transfer, whereby the nuclear motion also results in the re-distribution of charge. To study this competition, quantum dynamics simulations need to be performed. To break the exponential scaling of standard grid-based algorithms, approximate methods need to be developed that are efficient yet able to follow the coupled electronic-nuclear motion of these systems. Using a simple model Hamiltonian based on the ionisation of the allene molecule, the performance of different methods based on Gaussian Wavepackets is demonstrated.

  8. Charge transfer between O6+ and atomic hydrogen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Y.; Stancil, P. C.; Liebermann, H. P.; Buenker, R. J.; Schultz, D. R.; Hui, Y.

    2011-05-01

    The charge exchange process has been found to play a dominant role in the production of X-rays and/or EUV photons observed in cometary and planetary atmospheres and from the heliosphere. Charge transfer cross sections, especially state-selective cross sections, are necessary parameters in simulations of X-ray emission. In the present work, charge transfer due to collisions of ground state O6+(1s2 1 S) with atomic hydrogen has been investigated theoretically using the quantum-mechanical molecular-orbital close-coupling method (QMOCC). The multi-reference single- and double-excitation configuration interaction approach (MRDCI) has been applied to compute the adiabatic potential and nonadiabatic couplings, and the atomic basis sets used have been optimized with the method proposed previously to obtain precise potential data. Total and state-selective cross sections are calculated for energies between 10 meV/u and 10 keV/u. The QMOCC results are compared to available experimental and theoretical data as well as to new atomic-orbital close-coupling (AOCC) and classical trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) calculations. A recommended set of cross sections, based on the MOCC, AOCC, and CTMC calculations, is deduced which should aid in X-ray modeling studies.

  9. Photoinduced charge-transfer materials for nonlinear optical applications

    DOEpatents

    McBranch, Duncan W.

    2006-10-24

    A method using polyelectrolyte self-assembly for preparing multi-layered organic molecular materials having individual layers which exhibit ultrafast electron and/or energy transfer in a controlled direction occurring over the entire structure. Using a high molecular weight, water-soluble, anionic form of poly-phenylene vinylene, self-assembled films can be formed which show high photoluminescence quantum efficiency (QE). The highest emission QE is achieved using poly(propylene-imine) (PPI) dendrimers as cationic binders. Self-quenching of the luminescence is observed as the solid polymer film thickness is increased and can be reversed by inserting additional spacer layers of transparent polyelectrolytes between each active conjugated layer, such that the QE grows with thickness. A red shift of the luminescence is also observed as additional PPV layers are added. This effect persists as self-quenching is eliminated. Charge transfer superlattices can be formed by additionally incorporating C.sub.60 acceptor layers.

  10. Substituent and Solvent Effects on Excited State Charge Transfer Behavior of Highly Fluorescent Dyes Containing Thiophenylimidazole-Based Aldehydes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Santos, Javier; Bu, Xiu R.; Mintz, Eric A.

    2001-01-01

    The excited state charge transfer for a series of highly fluorescent dyes containing thiophenylimidazole moiety was investigated. These systems follow the Twisted Intramolecular Charge Transfer (TICT) model. Dual fluorescence was observed for each substituted dye. X-ray structures analysis reveals a twisted ground state geometry for the donor substituted aryl on the 4 and 5 position at the imidazole ring. The excited state charge transfer was modeled by a linear solvation energy relationship using Taft's pi and Dimroth's E(sub T)(30) as solvent parameters. There is linear relation between the energy of the fluorescence transition and solvent polarity. The degree of stabilization of the excited state charge transfer was found to be consistent with the intramolecular molecular charge transfer. Excited dipole moment was studied by utilizing the solvatochromic shift method.

  11. Spontaneous charged lipid transfer between lipid vesicles.

    PubMed

    Richens, Joanna L; Tyler, Arwen I I; Barriga, Hanna M G; Bramble, Jonathan P; Law, Robert V; Brooks, Nicholas J; Seddon, John M; Ces, Oscar; O'Shea, Paul

    2017-10-03

    An assay to study the spontaneous charged lipid transfer between lipid vesicles is described. A donor/acceptor vesicle system is employed, where neutrally charged acceptor vesicles are fluorescently labelled with the electrostatic membrane probe Fluoresceinphosphatidylethanolamine (FPE). Upon addition of charged donor vesicles, transfer of negatively charged lipid occurs, resulting in a fluorescently detectable change in the membrane potential of the acceptor vesicles. Using this approach we have studied the transfer properties of a range of lipids, varying both the headgroup and the chain length. At the low vesicle concentrations chosen, the transfer follows a first-order process where lipid monomers are transferred presumably through the aqueous solution phase from donor to acceptor vesicle. The rate of transfer decreases with increasing chain length which is consistent with energy models previously reported for lipid monomer vesicle interactions. Our assay improves on existing methods allowing the study of a range of unmodified lipids, continuous monitoring of transfer and simplified experimental procedures.

  12. Laboratory Studies of Thermal Energy Charge Transfer of Silicon and Iron Ions in Astrophysical Plasmas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kwong, Victor H. S.

    1997-01-01

    The laser ablation/ion storage facility at the UNLV Physics Department is dedicated to the study of atomic processes in low temperature plasmas. Our current program is directed to the study of charge transfer of multiply charged ions and neutrals that are of importance to astrophysics at energies less than 1 eV (about 10(exp 4) K). Specifically, we measure the charge transfer rate coefficient of ions such as N(2+), Si(3+), Si(3+), with helium and Fe(2+) with molecular and atomic hydrogen. All these ions are found in a variety of astrophysical plasmas. Their electron transfer reactions with neutral atoms can affect the ionization equilibrium of the plasma.

  13. Charge Transfer Processes in OPV Materials as Revealed by EPR Spectroscopy

    DOE PAGES

    Niklas, Jens; Poluektov, Oleg

    2017-03-03

    Understanding charge separation and charge transport at a molecular level is crucial for improving the efficiency of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. Under illumination of Bulk Heterojunction (BHJ) blends of polymers and fullerenes, various paramagnetic species are formed including polymer and fullerene radicals, radical pairs, and photoexcited triplet states. Light-induced Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is ideally suited to study these states in BHJ due to its selectivity in probing the paramagnetic intermediates. Some advanced EPR techniques like light-induced ENDOR spectroscopy and pulsed techniques allow the determination of hyperfine coupling tensors, while high-frequency EPR allows the EPR signals of the individualmore » species to be resolved and their g-tensors to be determined. In these magnetic resonance parameters reveal details about the delocalization of the positive polaron on the various polymer donors which is important for the efficient charge separation in BHJ systems. Time-resolved EPR can contribute to the study of the dynamics of charge separation, charge transfer and recombination in BHJ by probing the unique spectral signatures of charge transfer and triplet states. Furthermore, the potential of the EPR also allows characterization of the intermediates and products of BHJ degradation.« less

  14. Effects of Charge-Transfer Excitons on the Photophysics of Organic Semiconductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hestand, Nicholas J.

    The field of organic electronics has received considerable attention over the past several years due to the promise of novel electronic materials that are cheap, flexible and light weight. While some devices based on organic materials have already emerged on the market (e.g. organic light emitting diodes), a deeper understanding of the excited states within the condensed phase is necessary both to improve current commercial products and to develop new materials for applications that are currently in the commercial pipeline (e.g. organic photovoltaics, wearable displays, and field effect transistors). To this end, a model for pi-conjugated molecular aggregates and crystals is developed and analyzed. The model considers two types of electronic excitations, namely Frenkel and charge-transfer excitons, both of which play a prominent role in determining the nature of the excited states within tightly-packed organic systems. The former consist of an electron-hole pair bound to the same molecule while in the later the electron and hole are located on different molecules. The model also considers the important nuclear reorganization that occurs when the system switches between electronic states. This is achieved using a Holstein-style Hamiltonian that includes linear vibronic coupling of the electronic states to the nuclear motion associated with the high frequency vinyl-stretching and ring-breathing modes. Analysis of the model reveals spectroscopic signatures of charge-transfer mediated J- and H-aggregation in systems where the photophysical properties are determined primarily by charge-transfer interactions. Importantly, such signatures are found to be sensitive to the relative phase of the intermolecular electron and hole transfer integrals, and the relative energy of the Frenkel and charge-transfer states. When the charge-transfer integrals are in phase and the energy of the charge-transfer state is higher than the Frenkel state, the system exhibits J

  15. Charge-transfer dynamics in one-dimensional C 60 chains

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pérez-Dieste, V.; Tamai, A.; Greber, T.; Chiuzbaˇian, S. G.; Patthey, L.

    2008-06-01

    Charge transfer in highly-ordered C 60 chains grown on a Cu(5 5 3) vicinal surface is studied by means of resonant photoemission. Tuning the light polarization, autoionization of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) was expected to detect anisotropy in this one-dimensional system. For one monolayer C 60 we found no signature of autoionization. This indicates that for an electron which is excited from the C 1s level of C 60 to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), hybridization leads to delocalization on the femtosecond time-scale and no influence of the light polarization is observed.

  16. Charge transfer in iridate-manganite superlattices

    DOE PAGES

    Okamoto, Satoshi; Nichols, John; Sohn, Changhee; ...

    2017-03-03

    Charge transfer in superlattices consisting of SrIrOmore » $$_3$$ and SrMnO$$_3$$ is investigated using density functional theory. Despite the nearly identical work function and non-polar interfaces between SrIrO$$_3$$ and SrMnO$$_3$$, rather large charge transfer was experimentally reported between them. Our results provide a qualitative understanding to such experimental reports. We further develop a microscopic model that captures the mechanism behind this phenomenon. This leads to unique strain dependence of such charge transfer in iridate-manganite superlattices. The predicted behavior is consistently verified by experiment. Lastly, our work thus demonstrates a new route to control electronic states in non-polar oxide heterostructures.« less

  17. Phonon-Assisted Ultrafast Charge Transfer at van der Waals Heterostructure Interface.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Qijing; Saidi, Wissam A; Xie, Yu; Lan, Zhenggang; Prezhdo, Oleg V; Petek, Hrvoje; Zhao, Jin

    2017-10-11

    The van der Waals (vdW) interfaces of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor are central to new device concepts and emerging technologies in light-electricity transduction where the efficient charge separation is a key factor. Contrary to general expectation, efficient electron-hole separation can occur in vertically stacked transition-metal dichalcogenide heterostructure bilayers through ultrafast charge transfer between the neighboring layers despite their weak vdW bonding. In this report, we show by ab initio nonadiabatic molecular dynamics calculations, that instead of direct tunneling, the ultrafast interlayer hole transfer is strongly promoted by an adiabatic mechanism through phonon excitation occurring on 20 fs, which is in good agreement with the experiment. The atomic level picture of the phonon-assisted ultrafast mechanism revealed in our study is valuable both for the fundamental understanding of ultrafast charge carrier dynamics at vdW heterointerfaces as well as for the design of novel quasi-2D devices for optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications.

  18. An accurate and linear-scaling method for calculating charge-transfer excitation energies and diabatic couplings

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pavanello, Michele; Van Voorhis, Troy; Visscher, Lucas

    2013-02-07

    Quantum-mechanical methods that are both computationally fast and accurate are not yet available for electronic excitations having charge transfer character. In this work, we present a significant step forward towards this goal for those charge transfer excitations that take place between non-covalently bound molecules. In particular, we present a method that scales linearly with the number of non-covalently bound molecules in the system and is based on a two-pronged approach: The molecular electronic structure of broken-symmetry charge-localized states is obtained with the frozen density embedding formulation of subsystem density-functional theory; subsequently, in a post-SCF calculation, the full-electron Hamiltonian and overlapmore » matrix elements among the charge-localized states are evaluated with an algorithm which takes full advantage of the subsystem DFT density partitioning technique. The method is benchmarked against coupled-cluster calculations and achieves chemical accuracy for the systems considered for intermolecular separations ranging from hydrogen-bond distances to tens of Angstroms. Numerical examples are provided for molecular clusters comprised of up to 56 non-covalently bound molecules.« less

  19. An accurate and linear-scaling method for calculating charge-transfer excitation energies and diabatic couplings.

    PubMed

    Pavanello, Michele; Van Voorhis, Troy; Visscher, Lucas; Neugebauer, Johannes

    2013-02-07

    Quantum-mechanical methods that are both computationally fast and accurate are not yet available for electronic excitations having charge transfer character. In this work, we present a significant step forward towards this goal for those charge transfer excitations that take place between non-covalently bound molecules. In particular, we present a method that scales linearly with the number of non-covalently bound molecules in the system and is based on a two-pronged approach: The molecular electronic structure of broken-symmetry charge-localized states is obtained with the frozen density embedding formulation of subsystem density-functional theory; subsequently, in a post-SCF calculation, the full-electron Hamiltonian and overlap matrix elements among the charge-localized states are evaluated with an algorithm which takes full advantage of the subsystem DFT density partitioning technique. The method is benchmarked against coupled-cluster calculations and achieves chemical accuracy for the systems considered for intermolecular separations ranging from hydrogen-bond distances to tens of Ångstroms. Numerical examples are provided for molecular clusters comprised of up to 56 non-covalently bound molecules.

  20. An abnormally slow proton transfer reaction in a simple HBO derivative due to ultrafast intramolecular-charge transfer events.

    PubMed

    Alarcos, Noemí; Gutierrez, Mario; Liras, Marta; Sánchez, Félix; Douhal, Abderrazzak

    2015-07-07

    We report on the steady-state, picosecond and femtosecond time-resolved studies of a charge and proton transfer dye 6-amino-2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (6A-HBO) and its methylated derivative 6-amino-2-(2'-methoxyphenyl)benzoxazole (6A-MBO), in different solvents. With femtosecond resolution and comparison with the photobehaviour of 6A-MBO, we demonstrate for 6A-HBO in solution, the photoproduction of an intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) process at S1 taking place in ∼140 fs or shorter, followed by solvent relaxation in the charge transferred species. The generated structure (syn-enol charge transfer conformer) experiences an excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer (ESIPT) reaction to produce a keto-type tautomer. This subsequent proton motion occurs in 1.2 ps (n-heptane), 14 ps (DCM) and 35 ps (MeOH). In MeOH, it is assisted by the solvent molecules and occurs through tunneling for which we got a large kinetic isotope effect (KIE) of about 13. For the 6A-DBO (deuterated sample in CD3OD) the global proton-transfer reaction takes place in 200 ps, showing a remarkable slow KIE regime. The slow ESIPT reaction in DCM (14 ps), not through tunnelling as it is not sensitive to OH/OD exchange, has however to overcome an energy barrier using intramolecular as well as solvent coordinates. The rich ESIPT dynamics of 6A-HBO in the used solutions is governed by an ICT reaction, triggered by the amino group, and it is solvent dependent. Thus, the charge injection to a 6A-HBO molecular frame makes the ICT species more stable, and the phenol group less acidic, slowing down the subsequent ESIPT reaction. Our findings bring new insights into the coupling between ICT and ESIPT reactions on the potential-energy surfaces of several barriers.

  1. Charge-transfer complexes and their role in exciplex emission and near-infrared photovoltaics.

    PubMed

    Ng, Tsz-Wai; Lo, Ming-Fai; Fung, Man-Keung; Zhang, Wen-Jun; Lee, Chun-Sing

    2014-08-20

    Charge transfer and interactions at organic heterojunctions (OHJs) are known to have critical influences on various properties of organic electronic devices. In this Research News article, a short review is given from the electronic viewpoint on how the local molecular interactions and interfacial energetics at P/N OHJs contribute to the recombination/dissociation of electron-hole pairs. Very often, the P-type materials donate electrons to the N-type materials, giving rise to charge-transfer complexes (CTCs) with a P(δ+) -N(δ-) configuration. A recently observed opposite charge-transfer direction in OHJs is also discussed (i.e., N-type material donates electrons to P-type material to form P(δ-) -N(δ+) ). Recent studies on the electronic structures of CTC-forming material pairs are also summarized. The formation of P(δ-) -N(δ+) -type CTCs and their correlations with exciplex emission are examined. Furthermore, the potential applications of CTCs in NIR photovoltaic devices are reviewed. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Electronic, structural and chemical effects of charge-transfer at organic/inorganic interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Otero, R.; Vázquez de Parga, A. L.; Gallego, J. M.

    2017-07-01

    During the last decade, interest on the growth and self-assembly of organic molecular species on solid surfaces spread over the scientific community, largely motivated by the promise of cheap, flexible and tunable organic electronic and optoelectronic devices. These efforts lead to important advances in our understanding of the nature and strength of the non-bonding intermolecular interactions that control the assembly of the organic building blocks on solid surfaces, which have been recently reviewed in a number of excellent papers. To a large extent, such studies were possible because of a smart choice of model substrate-adsorbate systems where the molecule-substrate interactions were purposefully kept low, so that most of the observed supramolecular structures could be understood simply by considering intermolecular interactions, keeping the role of the surface always relatively small (although not completely negligible). On the other hand, the systems which are more relevant for the development of organic electronic devices include molecular species which are electron donors, acceptors or blends of donors and acceptors. Adsorption of such organic species on solid surfaces is bound to be accompanied by charge-transfer processes between the substrate and the adsorbates, and the physical and chemical properties of the molecules cannot be expected any longer to be the same as in solution phase. In recent years, a number of groups around the world have started tackling the problem of the adsorption, self- assembly and electronic and chemical properties of organic species which interact rather strongly with the surface, and for which charge-transfer must be considered. The picture that is emerging shows that charge transfer can lead to a plethora of new phenomena, from the development of delocalized band-like electron states at molecular overlayers, to the existence of new substrate-mediated intermolecular interactions or the strong modification of the chemical

  3. Molecular implementation of molecular shift register memories

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Beratan, David N. (Inventor); Onuchic, Jose N. (Inventor)

    1991-01-01

    An electronic shift register memory (20) at the molecular level is described. The memory elements are based on a chain of electron transfer molecules (22) and the information is shifted by photoinduced (26) electron transfer reactions. Thus, multi-step sequences of charge transfer reactions are used to move charge with high efficiency down a molecular chain. The device integrates compositions of the invention onto a VLSI substrate (36), providing an example of a molecular electronic device which may be fabricated. Three energy level schemes, molecular implementation of these schemes, optical excitation strategies, charge amplification strategies, and error correction strategies are described.

  4. Hydrogen bonded charge transfer molecular salt (4-chloro anilinium-3-nitrophthalate) for photophysical and pharmacological applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singaravelan, K.; Chandramohan, A.; Saravanabhavan, M.; Muthu Vijayan Enoch, I. V.; Suganthi, V. S.

    2017-09-01

    Radical scavenging activity against DPPH radical and binding properties of a hydrogen bonded charge transfer molecular salt 4-chloro anilinium-3-nitrophthalate(CANP) with calf thymus DNA has been studied by electronic absorption and emission spectroscopy. The molecular structure and crystallinity of the CANP salt have been established by carried out powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis which indicated that cation and anion are linked through strong N+sbnd H…O- type of hydrogen bond. FTIR spectroscopic study was carried out to know the various functional groups present in the crystal. 1H and 13C NMR spectra were recorded to further confirm the molecular structure of the salt crystal. The thermal stability of the title salt was established by TG/DTA analyses simultaneously on the powdered sample of the title crystal. Further, the CANP salt was examined against various bacteria and fungi strains which showed a remarkable antimicrobial activity compared to that of the standards Ciproflaxin and Clotrimazole. The results showed that the CANP salt could interact with CT-DNA through intercalation. Antioxidant studies of the substrates alone and synthesized CANP salt showed that the latter has been better radical scavenging activity than that of the former against DPPH radical. The third order nonlinear susceptibility of the CANP salt was established by the Z-scan study.

  5. Charge transport in molecular junctions: From tunneling to hopping with the probe technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kilgour, Michael; Segal, Dvira

    2015-07-01

    We demonstrate that a simple phenomenological approach can be used to simulate electronic conduction in molecular wires under thermal effects induced by the surrounding environment. This "Landauer-Büttiker's probe technique" can properly replicate different transport mechanisms, phase coherent nonresonant tunneling, ballistic behavior, and hopping conduction. Specifically, our simulations with the probe method recover the following central characteristics of charge transfer in molecular wires: (i) the electrical conductance of short wires falls off exponentially with molecular length, a manifestation of the tunneling (superexchange) mechanism. Hopping dynamics overtakes superexchange in long wires demonstrating an ohmic-like behavior. (ii) In off-resonance situations, weak dephasing effects facilitate charge transfer, but under large dephasing, the electrical conductance is suppressed. (iii) At high enough temperatures, kBT/ɛB > 1/25, with ɛB as the molecular-barrier height, the current is enhanced by a thermal activation (Arrhenius) factor. However, this enhancement takes place for both coherent and incoherent electrons and it does not readily indicate on the underlying mechanism. (iv) At finite-bias, dephasing effects may impede conduction in resonant situations. We further show that memory (non-Markovian) effects can be implemented within the Landauer-Büttiker's probe technique to model the interaction of electrons with a structured environment. Finally, we examine experimental results of electron transfer in conjugated molecular wires and show that our computational approach can reasonably reproduce reported values to provide mechanistic information.

  6. Micelle-induced versatile performance of amphiphilic intramolecular charge-transfer fluorescent molecular sensors.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jiaobing; Qian, Xuhong; Qian, Junhong; Xu, Yufang

    2007-01-01

    A series of amphiphilic intramolecular charge-transfer fluorescent molecular sensors AS1-3, equipped with a rod-shaped hydrophobic 2-phenylbenzoxazole fluorophore and a hydrophilic tetraamide Hg(2+)-ion receptor, have been prepared. These sensor molecules could be incorporated into the hydrophobic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelle, which is confirmed by the clear spectral blue shift and emission enhancement observed at the critical micelle concentration of SDS. Systematic examination of the sensor-Hg(2+) complexation, by using both UV/visible and fluorescence spectroscopy, indicates that SDS significantly modulates both the binding event and signal transformation of these sensor molecules. The potential advantages are fourfold: 1) SDS substantially increases the Hg(2+)-ion association constant and results in an amplified sensitivity. 2) SDS initiates spectral features which facilitate Hg(2+)-ion analysis, for example, in addition to the strengthened fluorescence of the free sensors AS1-3, the original "on-off" response of AS2 toward the Hg(2+) ion is transformed into a self-calibrated two-wavelength ratiometric signal, while for AS3, Hg(2+)-ion complexation in the presence of SDS results in a 180 nm blue shift, which is preferred to the 51 nm spectral shift obtained without SDS. 3) Thermoreversible tuning of the dynamic detection range is realized. 4) Highly specific Hg(2+)-ion identification could be achieved by using the SDS-induced fingerprint emission (358 nm) of the AS2-Hg(2+) complex. Altogether, this work demonstrates a convenient and powerful strategy that remarkably elevates the performance of a given fluorescent molecular sensor. It also implies that for a specific utilization, much attention should be paid to the microenvironment in which the sensor resides, as the behavior of the sensor might be different from that in the bulk solution.

  7. Charge Transfer Rate in Collisions of H + Ions with Si Atoms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kimura, M.; Sannigrahi, A. B.; Gu, J. P.; Hirsch, G.; Buenker, R. J.; Shimamura, I.

    1996-12-01

    Charge transfer in Si(3P, 1D) + H+ collisions is studied theoretically by using a semiclassical molecular representation with six molecular channels for the triplet manifold and four channels for the singlet manifold at collision energies above 30 eV, and by using a fully quantum mechanical approach with two molecular channels for both triplet and singlet manifolds below 30 eV. The ab initio potential curves and nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements for the HSi+ system are obtained from multireference single- and double-excitation configuration interaction (MRD-CI) calculations employing a relatively large basis set. The present rate coefficients for charge transfer to Si+(4P) formation resulting from H+ + Si(3P) collisions are found to be large with values from 1 x 10-10 cm-3 s-1 at 1000 K to 1 x 10-8 cm-3 s-1 at 100,000 K. The rate coefficient for Si+(2P) formation, resulting from H+ + Si(3P) collisions, is found to be much smaller because of a larger energy defect from the initial state. These calculated rates are much larger than those reported by Baliunas & Butler, who estimated a value of 10-11 cm-3 s-1 in their coronal plasma study. The present result may be relevant to the description of the silicon ionization equilibrium.

  8. Tuning Topological Surface States by Charge Transfer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Zhiyi

    Three-dimensional (3D) topological insulators (TIs), Bi2Se 3, Bi2Te3, Sb2Te3, are a class of materials that has non-trivial bulk band structure and metallic surface states. Access to charge transport through Dirac surface states in TIs can be challenging due to their intermixing with bulk states or non-topological two-dimensional electron gas quantum well states caused by bending of electronic bands near the surface. The band bending arises via charge transfer from surface adatoms or interfaces and, therefore, the choice of layers abutting topological surfaces is critical. Surfaces of these 3D TIs have also been proposed to host new quantum phases at the interfaces with other types of materials, provided that the topological properties of interfacial regions remain unperturbed. This thesis presents a systematic experimental study of both bulk conducting and surface charge transfer problems. We started with optimizing growth condition of Bi2Se3 on various substrates, to achieve best quality of Bi2Se3 single layers we can get. We then move on to growth of Bi2Se3/ZnxCd1-xSe bilayers. Here we improved lattice mismatch between Bi2Se 3 and ZnxCd1-xSe layers by tuning lattice parameter of ZnxCd1-xSe. After that, we achieved molecular beam epitaxial growth of Bi2Se3/ZnxCd1-x Se superlattices that hold only one topological surface channel per TI layer. The topological nature of conducting channels is supported by pi-Berry phase evident from observed Shubnikov de Haas quantum oscillations and by the associated two-dimensional weak antilocalization quantum interference correction to magnetoresistance. Both density functional theory calculations and transport measurements suggest that a single topological Dirac cone per TI layer can be realized by asymmetric interfaces: Se-terminated Znx Cd1-xSe interface with the TI remains 'electronically intact', while charge transfer occurs at the Zn-terminated interface. Our findings indicate that topological transport could be controlled

  9. Electric field changes on Au nanoparticles on semiconductor supports--the molecular voltmeter and other methods to observe adsorbate-induced charge-transfer effects in Au/TiO2 nanocatalysts.

    PubMed

    McEntee, Monica; Stevanovic, Ana; Tang, Wenjie; Neurock, Matthew; Yates, John T

    2015-02-11

    Infrared (IR) studies of Au/TiO2 catalyst particles indicate that charge transfer from van der Waals-bound donor or acceptor molecules on TiO2 to or from Au occurs via transport of charge carriers in the semiconductor TiO2 support. The ΔνCO on Au is shown to be proportional to the polarizability of the TiO2 support fully covered with donor or acceptor molecules, producing a proportional frequency shift in νCO. Charge transfer through TiO2 is associated with the population of electron trap sites in the bandgap of TiO2 and can be independently followed by changes in photoluminescence intensity and by shifts in the broad IR absorbance region for electron trap sites, which is also proportional to the polarizability of donors by IR excitation. Density functional theory calculations show that electron transfer from the donor molecules to TiO2 and to supported Au particles produces a negative charge on the Au, whereas the transfer from the Au particles to the TiO2 support into acceptor molecules results in a positive charge on the Au. These changes along with the magnitudes of the shifts are consistent with the Stark effect. A number of experiments show that the ∼3 nm Au particles act as "molecular voltmeters" in influencing ΔνCO. Insulator particles, such as SiO2, do not display electron-transfer effects to Au particles on their surface. These studies are preliminary to doping studies of semiconductor-oxide particles by metal ions which modify Lewis acid/base oxide properties and possibly strongly modify the electron-transfer and catalytic activity of supported metal catalyst particles.

  10. Dynamics of Oxidation of Aluminum Nanoclusters using Variable Charge Molecular-Dynamics Simulations on Parallel Computers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Campbell, Timothy; Kalia, Rajiv K.; Nakano, Aiichiro; Vashishta, Priya; Ogata, Shuji; Rodgers, Stephen

    1999-06-01

    Oxidation of aluminum nanoclusters is investigated with a parallel molecular-dynamics approach based on dynamic charge transfer among atoms. Structural and dynamic correlations reveal that significant charge transfer gives rise to large negative pressure in the oxide which dominates the positive pressure due to steric forces. As a result, aluminum moves outward and oxygen moves towards the interior of the cluster with the aluminum diffusivity 60% higher than that of oxygen. A stable 40 Å thick amorphous oxide is formed; this is in excellent agreement with experiments.

  11. Harnessing Reversible Electronic Energy Transfer: From Molecular Dyads to Molecular Machines.

    PubMed

    Denisov, Sergey A; Yu, Shinlin; Pozzo, Jean-Luc; Jonusauskas, Gediminas; McClenaghan, Nathan D

    2016-06-17

    Reversible electronic energy transfer (REET) may be instilled in bi-/multichromophoric molecule-based systems, following photoexcitation, upon judicious structural integration of matched chromophores. This leads to a new set of photophysical properties for the ensemble, which can be fully characterized by steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic methods. Herein, we take a comprehensive look at progress in the development of this type of supermolecule in the last five years, which has seen systems evolve from covalently tethered dyads to synthetic molecular machines, exemplified by two different pseudorotaxanes. Indeed, REET holds promise in the control of movement in molecular machines, their assembly/disassembly, as well as in charge separation. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Charge transfer collisions of Si^3+ with H at low energies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Joseph, D. C.; Gu, J. P.; Saha, B. C.

    2009-11-01

    Charge transfer of positively charged ions with atomic hydrogen is important not only in magnetically confined plasmas between impurity ions and H atoms from the chamber walls influences the overall ionization balance and effects the plasma cooling but also in astrophysics, where it plays a key role in determining the properties of the observed gas. It also provides a recombination mechanism for multiply charged ions in X-ray ionized astronomical environments. We report an investigation using the molecular-orbital close-coupling (MOCC) method, both quantum mechanically and semi-classically, in the adiabatic representation. Ab initio adiabatic potentials and coupling matrix elements--radial and angular--are calculated using the MRD-CI method. Comparison of our results with other theoretical as well as experimental findings will be discussed.

  13. Dynamics of charge-transfer excitons in type-II semiconductor heterostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stein, M.; Lammers, C.; Richter, P.-H.; Fuchs, C.; Stolz, W.; Koch, M.; Vänskä, O.; Weseloh, M. J.; Kira, M.; Koch, S. W.

    2018-03-01

    The formation, decay, and coherence properties of charge-transfer excitons in semiconductor heterostructures are investigated by applying four-wave-mixing and terahertz spectroscopy in combination with a predictive microscopic theory. A charge-transfer process is identified where the optically induced coherences decay directly into a charge-transfer electron-hole plasma and exciton states. It is shown that charge-transfer excitons are more sensitive to the fermionic electron-hole substructure than regular excitons.

  14. Ab initio treatment of ion-induced charge transfer dynamics of isolated 2-deoxy-D-ribose.

    PubMed

    Bacchus-Montabonel, Marie-Christine

    2014-08-21

    Modeling-induced radiation damage in biological systems, in particular, in DNA building blocks, is of major concern in cancer therapy studies. Ion-induced charge-transfer dynamics may indeed be involved in proton and hadrontherapy treatments. We have thus performed a theoretical approach of the charge-transfer dynamics in collision of C(4+) ions and protons with isolated 2-deoxy-D-ribose in a wide collision energy range by means of ab initio quantum chemistry molecular methods. The comparison of both projectile ions has been performed with regard to previous theoretical and experimental results. The charge transfer appears markedly less efficient with the 2-deoxy-D-ribose target than that with pyrimidine nucleobases, which would induce an enhancement of the fragmentation process in agreement with experimental measurements. The mechanism has been analyzed with regard to inner orbital excitations, and qualitative tendencies have been pointed out for studies on DNA buiding block damage.

  15. Molecular orbital (SCF-Xα-SW) theory of metal-metal charge transfer processes in minerals

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sherman, David M.

    1987-01-01

    Electronic transitions between the Fe-Fe bonding and Fe-Fe antibonding orbitals results in the optically-induced intervalence charge transfer bands observed in the electronic spectra of mixed valence minerals. Such transitions are predicted to be polarized along the metal-metal bond direction, in agreement with experimental observations.

  16. Frenkel and Charge-Transfer Excitations in Donor-acceptor Complexes from Many-Body Green's Functions Theory.

    PubMed

    Baumeier, Björn; Andrienko, Denis; Rohlfing, Michael

    2012-08-14

    Excited states of donor-acceptor dimers are studied using many-body Green's functions theory within the GW approximation and the Bethe-Salpeter equation. For a series of prototypical small-molecule based pairs, this method predicts energies of local Frenkel and intermolecular charge-transfer excitations with the accuracy of tens of meV. Application to larger systems is possible and allowed us to analyze energy levels and binding energies of excitons in representative dimers of dicyanovinyl-substituted quarterthiophene and fullerene, a donor-acceptor pair used in state of the art organic solar cells. In these dimers, the transition from Frenkel to charge transfer excitons is endothermic and the binding energy of charge transfer excitons is still of the order of 1.5-2 eV. Hence, even such an accurate dimer-based description does not yield internal energetics favorable for the generation of free charges either by thermal energy or an external electric field. These results confirm that, for qualitative predictions of solar cell functionality, accounting for the explicit molecular environment is as important as the accurate knowledge of internal dimer energies.

  17. Conjugated block copolymers as model materials to examine charge transfer in donor-acceptor systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gomez, Enrique; Aplan, Melissa; Lee, Youngmin

    Weak intermolecular interactions and disorder at junctions of different organic materials limit the performance and stability of organic interfaces and hence the applicability of organic semiconductors to electronic devices. The lack of control of interfacial structure has also prevented studies of how driving forces promote charge photogeneration, leading to conflicting hypotheses in the organic photovoltaic literature. Our approach has focused on utilizing block copolymer architectures -where critical interfaces are controlled and stabilized by covalent bonds- to provide the hierarchical structure needed for high-performance organic electronics from self-assembled soft materials. For example, we have demonstrated control of donor-acceptor heterojunctions through microphase-separated conjugated block copolymers to achieve 3% power conversion efficiencies in non-fullerene photovoltaics. Furthermore, incorporating the donor-acceptor interface within the molecular structure facilitates studies of charge transfer processes. Conjugated block copolymers enable studies of the driving force needed for exciton dissociation to charge transfer states, which must be large to maximize charge photogeneration but must be minimized to prevent losses in photovoltage in solar cell devices. Our work has systematically varied the chemical structure, energetics, and dielectric constant to perturb charge transfer. As a consequence, we predict a minimum dielectric constant needed to minimize the driving force and therefore simultaneously maximize photocurrent and photovoltage in organic photovoltaic devices.

  18. The impact of long-range electron-hole interaction on the charge separation yield of molecular photocells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nemati Aram, Tahereh; Ernzerhof, Matthias; Asgari, Asghar; Mayou, Didier

    2017-01-01

    We discuss the effects of charge carrier interaction and recombination on the operation of molecular photocells. Molecular photocells are devices where the energy conversion process takes place in a single molecular donor-acceptor complex attached to electrodes. Our investigation is based on the quantum scattering theory, in particular on the Lippmann-Schwinger equation; this minimizes the complexity of the problem while providing useful and non-trivial insight into the mechanism governing photocell operation. In this study, both exciton pair creation and dissociation are treated in the energy domain, and therefore there is access to detailed spectral information, which can be used as a framework to interpret the charge separation yield. We demonstrate that the charge carrier separation is a complex process that is affected by different parameters, such as the strength of the electron-hole interaction and the non-radiative recombination rate. Our analysis helps to optimize the charge separation process and the energy transfer in organic solar cells and in molecular photocells.

  19. Impact of charge-transfer excitons in regioregular polythiophene on the charge separation at polythiophene-fullerene heterojunctions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Polkehn, M.; Tamura, H.; Burghardt, I.

    2018-01-01

    This study addresses the mechanism of ultrafast charge separation in regioregular oligothiophene-fullerene assemblies representative of poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT)-[6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) heterojunctions, with special emphasis on the inclusion of charge transfer excitons in the oligothiophene phase. The formation of polaronic inter-chain charge separated species in highly ordered oligothiophene has been demonstrated in recent experiments and could have a significant impact on the net charge transfer to the fullerene acceptor. The present approach combines a first-principles parametrized multi-site Hamiltonian, based on time-dependent density functional theory calculations, with accurate quantum dynamics simulations using the multi-layer multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree method. Quantum dynamical studies are carried out for up to 182 electronic states and 112 phonon modes. The present analysis follows up on our previous study of (Huix-Rotllant et al 2015 J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 6 1702) and significantly expands the scope of this analysis by including the dynamical role of charge transfer excitons. Our investigation highlights the pronounced mixing of photogenerated Frenkel excitons with charge transfer excitons in the oligothiophene domain, and the opening of new transfer channels due the creation of such charge-separated species. As a result, it turns out that the interfacial donor/acceptor charge transfer state can be largely circumvented due to the presence of charge transfer excitons. However, the latter states in turn act as a trap, such that the free carrier yield observed on ultrafast time scales is tangibly reduced. The present analysis underscores the complexity of the transfer pathways at P3HT-PCBM type junctions.

  20. Opposites Attract: Organic Charge Transfer Salts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van de Wouw, Heidi L.; Chamorro, Juan; Quintero, Michael; Klausen, Rebekka S.

    2015-01-01

    A laboratory experiment is described that introduces second-year undergraduate organic chemistry students to organic electronic materials. The discovery of metallic conductivity in the charge transfer salt tetrathiafulvalene tetracyanoquinodimethane (TTF-TCNQ) is a landmark result in the history of organic electronics. The charge transfer…

  1. Synthesis, structural, spectroscopic and optical studies of charge transfer complex salts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manikandan, Maruthappan; Mahalingam, Thaiyan; Hayakawa, Yasuhiro; Ravi, Ganesan

    2013-01-01

    New charge transfer molecular complex adducts of picric acid (C6H3N3O7) with triethylamine (C6H15N) and dimethylformamide (HCON(CH3)2) were synthesized successfully for the first time. Chemical composition and stoichiometry of the synthesized complex salts were verified by CHN elemental analysis. Solubility of the complex salts have been determined by gravimetric method and single crystals of two new salts were grown by low temperature solution growth technique. Crystal system, crystalline nature and cell parameters of the grown crystals were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analyses. The formations of the charge-transfer complex, functional groups and the modes of vibrations have been confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In order to know the linear and nonlinear optical suitability for device fabrication, UV-Vis (UV) spectral analysis and relative second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency test were performed for the grown crystals.

  2. Synthesis of Stable Interfaces on SnO2 Surfaces for Charge-Transfer Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benson, Michelle C.

    The commercial market for solar harvesting devices as an alternative energy source requires them to be both low-cost and efficient to replace or reduce the dependence on fossil fuel burning. Over the last few decades there has been promising efforts towards improving solar devices by using abundant and non-toxic metal oxide nanomaterials. One particular metal oxide of interest has been SnO2 due to its high electron mobility, wide-band gap, and aqueous stability. However SnO2 based solar cells have yet to reach efficiency values of other metal oxides, like TiO2. The advancement of SnO2 based devices is dependent on many factors, including improved methods of surface functionalization that can yield stable interfaces. This work explores the use of a versatile functionalization method through the use of the Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction. The CuAAC reaction is capable of producing electrochemically, photochemically, and electrocatalytically active surfaces on a variety of SnO2 materials. The resulting charge-transfer characteristics were investigated as well as an emphasis on understanding the stability of the resulting molecular linkage. We determined the CuAAC reaction is able to proceed through both azide-modified and alkyne-modified surfaces. The resulting charge-transfer properties showed that the molecular tether was capable of supporting charge separation at the interface. We also investigated the enhancement of electron injection upon the introduction of an ultra-thin ZrO2 coating on SnO2. Several complexes were used to fully understand the charge-transfer capabilities, including model systems of ferrocene and a ruthenium coordination complex, a ruthenium mononuclear water oxidation catalyst, and a commercial ruthenium based dye.

  3. Spectroscopic study of the charge-transfer complexes TiCl4/styrene and TiCl4/polystyrene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gonçalves, Norberto S.; Noda, Lúcia. K.

    2017-10-01

    In this work, solutions of TiCl4/styrene and TiCl4/polystyrene charge-transfer complexes in CHCl3 or CDCl3 were investigated by UV-vis, resonance Raman and 1H NMR spectroscopies in order to study their molecular and electronic structures. Both show a yellow colour due to absorption in the 400 nm region, related to a charge-transfer transition. In Raman spectra, as the excitation approaches the resonance region, the primary enhancement of aromatic ring modes was mainly observed, rather than intensification of the vinylic double-bond stretch. Under the experimental conditions it was observed that formation of polystyrene takes place, as showed by 1H NMR spectra, and the most significant interaction occurs at the aromatic ring, as supported by the results from interaction of TiCl4 with polystyrene, as indicated by the charge-transfer band and resonant intensification of the aromatic ring modes.

  4. Charge Transfer in Collisions of S^4+ with H.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stancil, P. C.; Turner, A. R.; Cooper, D. L.; Schultz, D. R.; Rakovic, M. J.; Fritsch, W.; Zygelman, B.

    2001-05-01

    Charge transfer processes due to collisions of ground state S^4+ ions with atomic hydrogen were investigated for energies between 1 meV/u and 10 MeV/u using the quantum-mechanical molecular-orbital close-coupling (MOCC), atomic-orbital close-coupling, classical trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC), and continuum distorted wave methods. The MOCC calculations utilized ab initio adiabatic potentials and nonadiabatic radial coupling matrix elements obtained with the spin-coupled valence-bond approach. A number of variants of the CTMC approach were explored, including different momentum and radial distributions for the initial state, as well as effective charge and quantum-defect models to determine the corresponding quantum state after capture into final partially-stripped S^3+ excited classical states. Hydrogen target isotope effects were explored and rate coefficients for temperatures between 100 and 10^6 K will be presented

  5. Metal-to-metal charge transfer transitions - Interpretation of visible-region spectra of the moon and lunar materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Loeffler, B. M.; Burns, R. G.; Tossell, J. A.

    1975-01-01

    Prominent bands in the spectral profiles of Fe-Ti phases in lunar samples have been attributed to charge-transfer transitions between Fe and Ti cations, and a model is presented for calculating charge transfer energies from energy levels computed by the SCF-X(alpha) scattered wave molecular orbital method for isolated MO6 octahedral coordination clusters containing Fe(2+), Fe(3+), Ti(3+), and Ti(4+) cations. The calculated charge transfer energy for the Fe(2+) to Ti(4+) transition correlates well with a measured spectral feature around 0.6 micron in ilmenite, and, since ilmenite is a major constituent of mare basalts and dark-mantling material, the observed darkness and blueness of the regolith in lunar black spots is attributed primarily to this transition. The Ti(3+) to Ti(4+) transition is thought to contribute to some phases.

  6. Interaction and charge transfer between dielectric spheres: Exact and approximate analytical solutions.

    PubMed

    Lindén, Fredrik; Cederquist, Henrik; Zettergren, Henning

    2016-11-21

    We present exact analytical solutions for charge transfer reactions between two arbitrarily charged hard dielectric spheres. These solutions, and the corresponding exact ones for sphere-sphere interaction energies, include sums that describe polarization effects to infinite orders in the inverse of the distance between the sphere centers. In addition, we show that these exact solutions may be approximated by much simpler analytical expressions that are useful for many practical applications. This is exemplified through calculations of Langevin type cross sections for forming a compound system of two colliding spheres and through calculations of electron transfer cross sections. We find that it is important to account for dielectric properties and finite sphere sizes in such calculations, which for example may be useful for describing the evolution, growth, and dynamics of nanometer sized dielectric objects such as molecular clusters or dust grains in different environments including astrophysical ones.

  7. Charge Transport Processes in Molecular Junctions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Christopher Eugene

    Molecular electronics (ME) has evolved into a rich area of exploration that combines the fields of chemistry, materials, electronic engineering and computational modeling to explore the physics behind electronic conduction at the molecular level. Through studying charge transport properties of single molecules and nanoscale molecular materials the field has gained the potential to bring about new avenues for the miniaturization of electrical components where quantum phenomena are utilized to achieve solid state molecular device functionality. Molecular junctions are platforms that enable these studies and consist of a single molecule or a small group of molecules directly connected to electrodes. The work presented in this thesis has built upon the current understanding of the mechanisms of charge transport in ordered junctions using self-assembled monolayer (SAM) molecular thin films. Donor and acceptor compounds were synthesized and incorporated into SAMs grown on metal substrates then the transport properties were measured with conducting probe atomic force microscopy (CP-AFM). In addition to experimentally measured current-voltage (I-V) curves, the transport properties were addressed computationally and modeled theoretically. The key objectives of this project were to 1) investigate the impact of molecular structure on hole and electron charge transport, 2) understand the nature of the charge carriers and their structure-transport properties through long (<4 nm) conjugated molecular wires, and 3) quantitatively extract interfacial properties characteristic to macroscopic junctions, such as energy level alignment and molecule-contact electronic coupling from experimental I-V curves. Here, we lay ground work for creating a more complete picture of charge transport in macroscopically ordered molecular junctions of controlled architecture, length and charge carrier. The polaronic nature of hopping transport has been predicted in long, conjugated molecular wires

  8. Generalized Breit-Wigner treatment of molecular transport: Charging effects in a single decanedithiol molecule

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cabrera-Tinoco, Hugo Andres; Moreira, Augusto C. L.; de Melo, Celso P.

    2018-05-01

    We examine the relative contribution of ballistic and elastic cotunneling mechanisms to the charge transport through a single decanedithiol molecule linked to two terminal clusters of gold atoms. For this, we first introduced a conceptual model that permits a generalization of the Breit-Wigner scattering formalism where the cation, anion, and neutral forms of the molecule can participate with different probabilities of the charge transfer process, but in a simultaneous manner. We used a density functional theory treatment and considered the fixed geometry of each charge state to calculate the corresponding eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the extended system for different values of the external electric field. We have found that for the ballistic transport the HOMO and LUMO of the neutral species play a key role, while the charged states give a negligible contribution. On the other hand, an elastic cotunneling charge transfer can occur whenever a molecular orbital (MO) of the cation or anion species, even if localized in just one side of the molecule-gold clusters complex, has energy close to that of a delocalized MO of the neutral species. Under these conditions, a conduction channel is formed throughout the entire system, in a process that is controlled by the degree of resonance between the MOs involved. Our results indicate that while different charge transfer mechanisms contribute to the overall charge transport, quantum effects such as avoided-crossing situations between relevant frontier MOs can be of special importance. In these specific situations, the interchange of spatial localization of two MOs involved in the crossing can open a new channel of charge transfer that otherwise would not be available.

  9. Theoretical insights of proton transfer and hydrogen bonded charge transfer complex of 1,2-dimethylimidazolium-3,5-dinitrobenzoate crystal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Afroz, Ziya; Faizan, Mohd.; Alam, Mohammad Jane; Ahmad, Shabbir; Ahmad, Afaq

    2018-04-01

    Proton transfer (PT) and hydrogen bonded charge transfer (HBCT) 1:1 complex of 1,2-dimethylimidazole (DMI) and 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid (DNBA) have been theoretically analyzed and compared with reported experimental results. Both the structures in the isolated gaseous state have been optimized at DFT/B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory and further, the PT energy barrier has been calculated from potential energy surface scan. Along with structural investigations, theoretical vibrational spectra have been inspected and compared with the FTIR spectrum. Moreover, frontier molecular analysis has also been carried out.

  10. Variationally consistent approximation scheme for charge transfer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Halpern, A. M.

    1978-01-01

    The author has developed a technique for testing various charge-transfer approximation schemes for consistency with the requirements of the Kohn variational principle for the amplitude to guarantee that the amplitude is correct to second order in the scattering wave functions. Applied to Born-type approximations for charge transfer it allows the selection of particular groups of first-, second-, and higher-Born-type terms that obey the consistency requirement, and hence yield more reliable approximation to the amplitude.

  11. Multiconfiguration Pair-Density Functional Theory Outperforms Kohn-Sham Density Functional Theory and Multireference Perturbation Theory for Ground-State and Excited-State Charge Transfer.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Soumen; Sonnenberger, Andrew L; Hoyer, Chad E; Truhlar, Donald G; Gagliardi, Laura

    2015-08-11

    The correct description of charge transfer in ground and excited states is very important for molecular interactions, photochemistry, electrochemistry, and charge transport, but it is very challenging for Kohn-Sham (KS) density functional theory (DFT). KS-DFT exchange-correlation functionals without nonlocal exchange fail to describe both ground- and excited-state charge transfer properly. We have recently proposed a theory called multiconfiguration pair-density functional theory (MC-PDFT), which is based on a combination of multiconfiguration wave function theory with a new type of density functional called an on-top density functional. Here we have used MC-PDFT to study challenging ground- and excited-state charge-transfer processes by using on-top density functionals obtained by translating KS exchange-correlation functionals. For ground-state charge transfer, MC-PDFT performs better than either the PBE exchange-correlation functional or CASPT2 wave function theory. For excited-state charge transfer, MC-PDFT (unlike KS-DFT) shows qualitatively correct behavior at long-range with great improvement in predicted excitation energies.

  12. Experimental and modeling study on charge storage/transfer mechanism of graphene-based supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ban, Shuai; Jing, Xie; Zhou, Hongjun; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Jiujun

    2014-12-01

    A symmetrical graphene-based supercapacitor is constructed for studying the charge-transfer mechanism within the graphene-based electrodes using both experiment measurements and molecular simulation. The in-house synthesized graphene is characterized by XRD, SEM and BET measurements for morphology and surface area. It is observed that the electric capacity of graphene electrode can be reduced by both high internal resistance and limited mass transfer. Computer modeling is conducted at the molecular level to characterize the diffusion behavior of electrolyte ions to the interior of electrode with emphasis on the unique 2D confinement imposed by graphene layers. Although graphene powder poses a moderate internal surface of 400 m2 g-1, the capacitance performance of graphene electrode can be as good as that of commercial activated carbon which has an overwhelming surface area of 1700 m2 g-1. An explanation to this abnormal correlation is that graphene material has an intrinsic capability of adaptively reorganizing its microporous structure in response to intercalation of ions and immergence of electrolyte solvent. The accessible surface of graphene is believed to be dramatically enlarged for ion adsorption during the charging process of capacitor.

  13. Probing and Exploiting the Interplay between Nuclear and Electronic Motion in Charge Transfer Processes.

    PubMed

    Delor, Milan; Sazanovich, Igor V; Towrie, Michael; Weinstein, Julia A

    2015-04-21

    The Born-Oppenheimer approximation refers to the assumption that the nuclear and electronic wave functions describing a molecular system evolve and can be determined independently. It is now well-known that this approximation often breaks down and that nuclear-electronic (vibronic) coupling contributes greatly to the ultrafast photophysics and photochemistry observed in many systems ranging from simple molecules to biological organisms. In order to probe vibronic coupling in a time-dependent manner, one must use spectroscopic tools capable of correlating the motions of electrons and nuclei on an ultrafast time scale. Recent developments in nonlinear multidimensional electronic and vibrational spectroscopies allow monitoring both electronic and structural factors with unprecedented time and spatial resolution. In this Account, we present recent studies from our group that make use of different variants of frequency-domain transient two-dimensional infrared (T-2DIR) spectroscopy, a pulse sequence combining electronic and vibrational excitations in the form of a UV-visible pump, a narrowband (12 cm(-1)) IR pump, and a broadband (400 cm(-1)) IR probe. In the first example, T-2DIR is used to directly compare vibrational dynamics in the ground and relaxed electronic excited states of Re(Cl)(CO)3(4,4'-diethylester-2,2'-bipyridine) and Ru(4,4'-diethylester-2,2'-bipyridine)2(NCS)2, prototypical charge transfer complexes used in photocatalytic CO2 reduction and electron injection in dye-sensitized solar cells. The experiments show that intramolecular vibrational redistribution (IVR) and vibrational energy transfer (VET) are up to an order of magnitude faster in the triplet charge transfer excited state than in the ground state. These results show the influence of electronic arrangement on vibrational coupling patterns, with direct implications for vibronic coupling mechanisms in charge transfer excited states. In the second example, we show unambiguously that electronic and

  14. The Nature of the Intramolecular Charge Transfer State in Peridinin

    PubMed Central

    Wagner, Nicole L.; Greco, Jordan A.; Enriquez, Miriam M.; Frank, Harry A.; Birge, Robert R.

    2013-01-01

    Experimental and theoretical evidence is presented that supports the theory that the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state of peridinin is an evolved state formed via excited-state bond-order reversal and solvent reorganization in polar media. The ICT state evolves in <100 fs and is characterized by a large dipole moment (∼35 D). The charge transfer character involves a shift of electron density within the polyene chain, and it does not involve participation of molecular orbitals localized in either of the β-rings. Charge is moved from the allenic side of the polyene into the furanic ring region and is accompanied by bond-order reversal in the central portion of the polyene chain. The electronic properties of the ICT state are generated via mixing of the “11Bu+” ionic state and the lowest-lying “21Ag–” covalent state. The resulting ICT state is primarily 1Bu+-like in character and exhibits not only a large oscillator strength but an unusually large doubly excited character. In most solvents, two populations exist in equilibrium, one with a lowest-lying ICT ionic state and a second with a lowest-lying “21Ag–” covalent state. The two populations are separated by a small barrier associated with solvent relaxation and cavity formation. PMID:23528091

  15. Charge transfer complex between 2,3-diaminopyridine with chloranilic acid. Synthesis, characterization and DFT, TD-DFT computational studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al-Ahmary, Khairia M.; Habeeb, Moustafa M.; Al-Obidan, Areej H.

    2018-05-01

    New charge transfer complex (CTC) between the electron donor 2,3-diaminopyridine (DAP) with the electron acceptor chloranilic (CLA) acid has been synthesized and characterized experimentally and theoretically using a variety of physicochemical techniques. The experimental work included the use of elemental analysis, UV-vis, IR and 1H NMR studies to characterize the complex. Electronic spectra have been carried out in different hydrogen bonded solvents, methanol (MeOH), acetonitrile (AN) and 1:1 mixture from AN-MeOH. The molecular composition of the complex was identified to be 1:1 from Jobs and molar ratio methods. The stability constant was determined using minimum-maximum absorbances method where it recorded high values confirming the high stability of the formed complex. The solid complex was prepared and characterized by elemental analysis that confirmed its formation in 1:1 stoichiometric ratio. Both IR and NMR studies asserted the existence of proton and charge transfers in the formed complex. For supporting the experimental results, DFT computations were carried out using B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) method to compute the optimized structures of the reactants and complex, their geometrical parameters, reactivity parameters, molecular electrostatic potential map and frontier molecular orbitals. The analysis of DFT results strongly confirmed the high stability of the formed complex based on existing charge transfer beside proton transfer hydrogen bonding concordant with experimental results. The origin of electronic spectra was analyzed using TD-DFT method where the observed λmax are strongly consisted with the computed ones. TD-DFT showed the contributed states for various electronic transitions.

  16. Testing time-dependent density functional theory with depopulated molecular orbitals for predicting electronic excitation energies of valence, Rydberg, and charge-transfer states and potential energies near a conical intersection

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Li, Shaohong L.; Truhlar, Donald G., E-mail: truhlar@umn.edu

    2014-09-14

    Kohn-Sham (KS) time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) with most exchange-correlation functionals is well known to systematically underestimate the excitation energies of Rydberg and charge-transfer excited states of atomic and molecular systems. To improve the description of Rydberg states within the KS TDDFT framework, Gaiduk et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 253005 (2012)] proposed a scheme that may be called HOMO depopulation. In this study, we tested this scheme on an extensive dataset of valence and Rydberg excitation energies of various atoms, ions, and molecules. It is also tested on a charge-transfer excitation of NH{sub 3}-F{sub 2} and on the potentialmore » energy curves of NH{sub 3} near a conical intersection. We found that the method can indeed significantly improve the accuracy of predicted Rydberg excitation energies while preserving reasonable accuracy for valence excitation energies. However, it does not appear to improve the description of charge-transfer excitations that are severely underestimated by standard KS TDDFT with conventional exchange-correlation functionals, nor does it perform appreciably better than standard TDDFT for the calculation of potential energy surfaces.« less

  17. Collisional charging of individual submillimeter particles: Using ultrasonic levitation to initiate and track charge transfer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Victor; James, Nicole M.; Waitukaitis, Scott R.; Jaeger, Heinrich M.

    2018-03-01

    Electrostatic charging of insulating fine particles can be responsible for numerous phenomena ranging from lightning in volcanic plumes to dust explosions. However, even basic aspects of how fine particles become charged are still unclear. Studying particle charging is challenging because it usually involves the complexities associated with many-particle collisions. To address these issues, we introduce a method based on acoustic levitation, which makes it possible to initiate sequences of repeated collisions of a single submillimeter particle with a flat plate, and to precisely measure the particle charge in situ after each collision. We show that collisional charge transfer between insulators is dependent on the hydrophobicity of the contacting surfaces. We use glass, which we modify by attaching nonpolar molecules to the particle, the plate, or both. We find that hydrophilic surfaces develop significant positive charges after contacting hydrophobic surfaces. Moreover, we demonstrate that charging between a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic surface is suppressed in an acidic environment and enhanced in a basic one. Application of an electric field during each collision is found to modify the charge transfer, again depending on surface hydrophobicity. We discuss these results within the context of contact charging due to ion transfer, and we show that they lend strong support to O H- ions as the charge carriers.

  18. Single-crystal charge transfer interfaces for efficient photonic devices (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alves, Helena; Pinto, Rui M.; Maçôas, Ermelinda M. S.; Baleizão, Carlos; Santos, Isabel C.

    2016-09-01

    Organic semiconductors have unique optical, mechanical and electronic properties that can be combined with customized chemical functionality. In the crystalline form, determinant features for electronic applications such as molecular purity, the charge mobility or the exciton diffusion length, reveal a superior performance when compared with materials in a more disordered form. Combining crystals of two different conjugated materials as even enable a new 2D electronic system. However, the use of organic single crystals in devices is still limited to a few applications, such as field-effect transistors. In 2013, we presented the first system composed of single-crystal charge transfer interfaces presenting photoconductivity behaviour. The system composed of rubrene and TCNQ has a responsivity reaching 1 A/W, corresponding to an external quantum efficiency of nearly 100%. A similar approach, with a hybrid structure of a PCBM film and rubrene single crystal also presents high responsivity and the possibility to extract excitons generated in acceptor materials. This strategy led to an extended action towards the near IR. By adequate material design and structural organisation of perylediimides, we demonstrate that is possible to improve exciton diffusion efficiency. More recently, we have successfully used the concept of charge transfer interfaces in phototransistors. These results open the possibility of using organic single-crystal interfaces in photonic applications.

  19. Voltage and frequency dependence of prestin-associated charge transfer

    PubMed Central

    Sun, Sean X.; Farrell, Brenda; Chana, Matthew S.; Oster, George; Brownell, William E.; Spector, Alexander A.

    2009-01-01

    Membrane protein prestin is a critical component of the motor complex that generates forces and dimensional changes in cells in response to changes in the cell membrane potential. In its native cochlear outer hair cell, prestin is crucial to the amplification and frequency selectivity of the mammalian ear up to frequencies of tens of kHz. Other cells transfected with prestin acquire voltage-dependent properties similar to those of the native cell. The protein performance is critically dependent on chloride ions, and intrinsic protein charges also play a role. We propose an electro-diffusion model to reveal the frequency and voltage dependence of electric charge transfer by prestin. The movement of the combined charge (i.e., anion and protein charges) across the membrane is described with a Fokker-Planck equation coupled to a kinetic equation that describes the binding of chloride ions to prestin. We found a voltage-and frequency-dependent phase shift between the transferred charge and the applied electric field that determines capacitive and resistive components of the transferred charge. The phase shift monotonically decreases from zero to -90 degree as a function of frequency. The capacitive component as a function of voltage is bell-shaped, and decreases with frequency. The resistive component is bell-shaped for both voltage and frequency. The capacitive and resistive components are similar to experimental measurements of charge transfer at high frequencies. The revealed nature of the transferred charge can help reconcile the high-frequency electrical and mechanical observations associated with prestin, and it is important for further analysis of the structure and function of this protein. PMID:19490917

  20. Through-Space Intervalence Charge Transfer as a Mechanism for Charge Delocalisation in Metal-Organic Frameworks.

    PubMed

    Hua, Carol; Doheny, Patrick William; Ding, Bowen; Chan, Bun; Yu, Michelle; Kepert, Cameron J; D'Alessandro, Deanna M

    2018-05-04

    Understanding the nature of charge transfer mechanisms in 3-dimensional Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) is an important goal owing to the possibility of harnessing this knowledge to design conductive frameworks. These materials have been implicated as the basis for the next generation of technological devices for applications in energy storage and conversion, including electrochromic devices, electrocatalysts, and battery materials. After nearly two decades of intense research into MOFs, the mechanisms of charge transfer remain relatively poorly understood, and new strategies to achieve charge mobility remain elusive and challenging to experimentally explore, validate and model. We now demonstrate that aromatic stacking interactions in Zn(II) frameworks containing cofacial thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole units lead to a mixed-valence state upon electrochemical or chemical reduction. This through-space Intervalence Charge Transfer (IVCT) phenomenon represents a new mechanism for charge delocalisation in MOFs. Computational modelling of the optical data combined with application of Marcus-Hush theory to the IVCT bands for the mixed-valence framework has enabled quantification of the degree of delocalisation using both in situ and ex situ electro- and spectro-electrochemical methods. A distance dependence for the through-space electron transfer has also been identified on the basis of experimental studies and computational calculations. This work provides a new window into electron transfer phenomena in 3-dimensional coordination space, of relevance to electroactive MOFs where new mechanisms for charge transfer are highly sought after, and to understanding biological light harvesting systems where through-space mixed-valence interactions are operative.

  1. Charging and geometric effects on conduction through Anthracene molecular junctions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaur, Rupan Preet; Sawhney, Ravinder Singh; Engles, Derick

    We studied the geometric effects on the charge transfer through the anthracenedithiol (ADT) molecular junction using density functional theory combined with the non-equilibrium Green’s function approach. Two major geometric aspects, bond length and bond angle, were moderated to optimize the electrical conduction. From the results established in this paper, we found that the electrical conduction can be tuned from 0.2 G0 to 0.9 G0 by varying the Au-S bond length, whereas the moderation of bonding angle assayed a minor change from 0.37 G0 to 0.47 G0. We attributed this escalating zero bias conductance to the increasing charge on the terminal sulfur atom of the ADT molecule, which increased the energy of the HOMO orbital towards Fermi level and exhibited a semi-metallic behaviour. Therefore, geometry plays a critical role in deciding the charge transport through the metal/molecule interface.

  2. UV-Vis spectroscopy and density functional study of solvent effect on the charge transfer band of the n → σ* complexes of 2-Methylpyridine and 2-Chloropyridine with molecular iodine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gogoi, Pallavi; Mohan, Uttam; Borpuzari, Manash Protim; Boruah, Abhijit; Baruah, Surjya Kumar

    2017-03-01

    UV-Vis spectroscopy has established that Pyridine substitutes form n→σ* charge transfer (CT) complexes with molecular Iodine. This study is a combined approach of purely experimental UV-Vis spectroscopy, Multiple linear regression theory and Computational chemistry to analyze the effect of solvent upon the charge transfer band of 2-Methylpyridine-I2 and 2-Chloropyridine-I2 complexes. Regression analysis verifies the dependence of the CT band upon different solvent parameters. Dielectric constant and refractive index are considered among the bulk solvent parameters and Hansen, Kamlet and Catalan parameters are taken into consideration at the molecular level. Density Functional Theory results explain well the blue shift of the CT bands in polar medium as an outcome of stronger donor acceptor interaction. A logarithmic relation between the bond length of the bridging atoms of the donor and the acceptor with the dielectric constant of the medium is established. Tauc plot and TDDFT study indicates a non-vertical electronic transition in the complexes. Buckingham and Lippert Mataga equations are applied to check the Polarizability effect on the CT band.

  3. Synthesis, structural, spectroscopic and optical studies of charge transfer complex salts.

    PubMed

    Manikandan, Maruthappan; Mahalingam, Thaiyan; Hayakawa, Yasuhiro; Ravi, Ganesan

    2013-01-15

    New charge transfer molecular complex adducts of picric acid (C6H3N3O7) with triethylamine (C6H15N) and dimethylformamide (HCON(CH3)2) were synthesized successfully for the first time. Chemical composition and stoichiometry of the synthesized complex salts were verified by CHN elemental analysis. Solubility of the complex salts have been determined by gravimetric method and single crystals of two new salts were grown by low temperature solution growth technique. Crystal system, crystalline nature and cell parameters of the grown crystals were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analyses. The formations of the charge-transfer complex, functional groups and the modes of vibrations have been confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In order to know the linear and nonlinear optical suitability for device fabrication, UV-Vis (UV) spectral analysis and relative second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency test were performed for the grown crystals. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Charge transfer in low-energy collisions of H with He+ and H+ with He in excited states

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Loreau, J.; Ryabchenko, S.; Muñoz Burgos, J. M.; Vaeck, N.

    2018-04-01

    The charge transfer process in collisions of excited (n = 2, 3) hydrogen atoms with He+ and in collisions of excited helium atoms with H+ is studied theoretically. A combination of a fully quantum-mechanical method and a semi-classical approach is employed to calculate the charge-exchange cross sections at collision energies from 0.1 eV u‑1 up to 1 keV u‑1. These methods are based on accurate ab initio potential energy curves and non-adiabatic couplings for the molecular ion HeH+. Charge transfer can occur either in singlet or in triplet states, and the differences between the singlet and triplet spin manifolds are discussed. The dependence of the cross section on the quantum numbers n and l of the initial state is demonstrated. The isotope effect on the charge transfer cross sections, arising at low collision energy when H is substituted by D or T, is investigated. Rate coefficients are calculated for all isotopes up to 106 K. Finally, the impact of the present calculations on models of laboratory plasmas is discussed.

  5. Spacecraft Charging in Geostationary Transfer Orbit

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Parker, Linda Neergaard; Minow, Joseph I.

    2014-01-01

    The 700 km x 5.8 Re orbit of the two Van Allen Probes spacecraft provide a unique opportunity to investigate spacecraft charging in geostationary transfer orbits. We use records from the Helium Oxygen Proton Electron (HOPE) plasma spectrometer to identify candidate surface charging events based on the "ion line" charging signature in the ion records. We summarize the energetic particle environment and the conditions necessary for charging to occur in this environment. We discuss the altitude, duration, and magnitude of events observed in the Van Allen Probes from the beginning of the mission to present time. In addition, we explore what information the dual satellites provide on the spatial and temporal variations in the charging environments.

  6. Frenkel-Charge-Transfer exciton intermixing theory for molecular crystals with two isolated Frenkel exciton states.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bondarev, Igor; Popescu, Adrian

    We develop an analytical theory for the intra-intermolecular exciton intermixing in periodic 1D chains of planar organic molecules with two isolated low-lying Frenkel exciton states, typical of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and other transition metal phthalocyanine molecules. We formulate the Hamiltonian and use the exact Bogoliubov diagonalization procedure to derive the eigen energy spectrum for the two lowest intramolecular Frenkel excitons coupled to the intermolecular charge transfer (CT) exciton state. By comparing our theoretical spectrum with available experimental CuPc absorption data, we obtain the parameters of the Frenkel-CT exciton intermixing in CuPc thin films. The two Frenkel exciton states here are spaced apart by 0.26 eV, and the charge transfer exciton state is 50 meV above the lowest Frenkel exciton. Both Frenkel excitons are strongly mixed with the CT exciton, showing the coupling constant 0.17 eV in agreement with earlier electron transport experiments. Our results can be used for the proper interpretation of the physical properties of crystalline phthalocyanines. DOE-DE-SC0007117 (I.B.), UNC-GA ROI Grant (A.P.).

  7. Communication: Modeling of concentration dependent water diffusivity in ionic solutions: Role of intermolecular charge transfer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yao, Yi; Berkowitz, Max L., E-mail: maxb@unc.edu, E-mail: ykanai@unc.edu; Kanai, Yosuke, E-mail: maxb@unc.edu, E-mail: ykanai@unc.edu

    2015-12-28

    The translational diffusivity of water in solutions of alkali halide salts depends on the identity of ions, exhibiting dramatically different behavior even in solutions of similar salts of NaCl and KCl. The water diffusion coefficient decreases as the salt concentration increases in NaCl. Yet, in KCl solution, it slightly increases and remains above bulk value as salt concentration increases. Previous classical molecular dynamics simulations have failed to describe this important behavior even when polarizable models were used. Here, we show that inclusion of dynamical charge transfer among water molecules produces results in a quantitative agreement with experiments. Our results indicatemore » that the concentration-dependent diffusivity reflects the importance of many-body effects among the water molecules in aqueous ionic solutions. Comparison with quantum mechanical calculations shows that a heterogeneous and extended distribution of charges on water molecules around the ions due to ion-water and also water-water charge transfer plays a very important role in controlling water diffusivity. Explicit inclusion of the charge transfer allows us to model accurately the difference in the concentration-dependent water diffusivity between Na{sup +} and K{sup +} ions in simulations, and it is likely to impact modeling of a wide range of systems for medical and technological applications.« less

  8. Charge-transfer mechanism for electrophilic aromatic nitration and nitrosation via the convergence of (ab initio) molecular-orbital and Marcus-Hush theories with experiments.

    PubMed

    Gwaltney, Steven R; Rosokha, Sergiy V; Head-Gordon, Martin; Kochi, Jay K

    2003-03-19

    The highly disparate rates of aromatic nitrosation and nitration, despite the very similar (electrophilic) properties of the active species: NO(+) and NO(2)(+) in Chart 1, are quantitatively reconciled. First, the thorough mappings of the potential-energy surfaces by high level (ab initio) molecular-orbital methodologies involving extensive coupled-cluster CCSD(T)/6-31G optimizations establish the intervention of two reactive intermediates in nitration (Figure 8) but only one in nitrosation (Figure 7). Second, the same distinctive topologies involving double and single potential-energy minima (Figures 6 and 5) also emerge from the semiquantitative application of the Marcus-Hush theory to the transient spectral data. Such a striking convergence from quite different theoretical approaches indicates that the molecular-orbital and Marcus-Hush (potential-energy) surfaces are conceptually interchangeable. In the resultant charge-transfer mechanism, the bimolecular interactions of arene donors with both NO(+) and NO(2)(+) spontaneously lead (barrierless) to pi-complexes in which electron transfer is concurrent with complexation. Such a pi-complex in nitration is rapidly converted to the sigma-complex, whereas this Wheland adduct in nitrosation merely represents a high energy (transition-state) structure. Marcus-Hush analysis thus demonstrates how the strongly differentiated (arene) reactivities toward NO(+) and NO(2)(+) can actually be exploited in the quantitative development of a single coherent (electron-transfer) mechanism for both aromatic nitrosation and nitration.

  9. An ab initio study of ion induced charge transfer dynamics in collision of carbon ions with thymine.

    PubMed

    Bacchus-Montabonel, Marie-Christine; Tergiman, Yvette Suzanne

    2011-05-28

    Charge transfer in collisions of carbon ions on a thymine target has been studied theoretically in a wide collision range by means of ab initio quantum chemistry molecular methods. The process appears markedly anisotropic in the whole energy domain, significantly favoured in the perpendicular orientation. A specific decrease of the charge transfer cross sections at low collision energies may be pointed out and could induce an enhancement of the complementary fragmentation processes for collision energies down to about 10 eV, as observed for the low-electron fragmentation process. Such feature may be of important interest in ion-induced biomolecular radiation damage. This journal is © the Owner Societies 2011

  10. Intermolecular hydrogen bond complexes by in situ charge transfer complexation of o-tolidine with picric and chloranilic acids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Refat, Moamen S.; Saad, Hosam A.; Adam, Abdel Majid A.

    2011-08-01

    A two new charge transfer complexes formed from the interactions between o-tolidine (o-TOL) and picric (PA) or chloranilic (CA) acids, with the compositions, [(o-TOL)(PA) 2] and [(o-TOL)(CA) 2] have been prepared. The 13C NMR, 1H NMR, 1H-Cosy, and IR show that the charge-transfer chelation occurs via the formation of chain structures O-H⋯N intermolecular hydrogen bond between 2NH 2 groups of o-TOL molecule and OH group in each PA or CA units. Photometric titration measurements concerning the two reactions in methanol were performed and the measurements show that the donor-acceptor molar ratio was found to be 1:2 using the modified Benesi-Hildebrand equation. The spectroscopic data were discussed in terms of formation constant, molar extinction coefficient, oscillator strength, dipole moment, standard free energy, and ionization potential. Thermal behavior of both charge transfer complexes showed that the complexes were more stable than their parents. The thermodynamic parameters were estimated from the differential thermogravimetric curves. The results indicated that the formation of molecular charge transfer complexes is spontaneous and endothermic.

  11. Intermolecular hydrogen bond complexes by in situ charge transfer complexation of o-tolidine with picric and chloranilic acids.

    PubMed

    Refat, Moamen S; Saad, Hosam A; Adam, Abdel Majid A

    2011-08-01

    A two new charge transfer complexes formed from the interactions between o-tolidine (o-TOL) and picric (PA) or chloranilic (CA) acids, with the compositions, [(o-TOL)(PA)(2)] and [(o-TOL)(CA)(2)] have been prepared. The (13)C NMR, (1)H NMR, (1)H-Cosy, and IR show that the charge-transfer chelation occurs via the formation of chain structures O-H⋯N intermolecular hydrogen bond between 2NH(2) groups of o-TOL molecule and OH group in each PA or CA units. Photometric titration measurements concerning the two reactions in methanol were performed and the measurements show that the donor-acceptor molar ratio was found to be 1:2 using the modified Benesi-Hildebrand equation. The spectroscopic data were discussed in terms of formation constant, molar extinction coefficient, oscillator strength, dipole moment, standard free energy, and ionization potential. Thermal behavior of both charge transfer complexes showed that the complexes were more stable than their parents. The thermodynamic parameters were estimated from the differential thermogravimetric curves. The results indicated that the formation of molecular charge transfer complexes is spontaneous and endothermic. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. An Ab Initio Exciton Model Including Charge-Transfer Excited States

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Li, Xin; Parrish, Robert M.; Liu, Fang

    Here, the Frenkel exciton model is a useful tool for theoretical studies of multichromophore systems. We recently showed that the exciton model could be used to coarse-grain electronic structure in multichromophoric systems, focusing on singly excited exciton states. However, our previous implementation excluded charge-transfer excited states, which can play an important role in light-harvesting systems and near-infrared optoelectronic materials. Recent studies have also emphasized the significance of charge-transfer in singlet fission, which mediates the coupling between the locally excited states and the multiexcitonic states. In this work, we report on an ab initio exciton model that incorporates charge-transfer excited statesmore » and demonstrate that the model provides correct charge-transfer excitation energies and asymptotic behavior. Comparison with TDDFT and EOM-CC2 calculations shows that our exciton model is robust with respect to system size, screening parameter, and different density functionals. Inclusion of charge-transfer excited states makes the exciton model more useful for studies of singly excited states and provides a starting point for future construction of a model that also includes double-exciton states.« less

  13. An Ab Initio Exciton Model Including Charge-Transfer Excited States

    DOE PAGES

    Li, Xin; Parrish, Robert M.; Liu, Fang; ...

    2017-06-15

    Here, the Frenkel exciton model is a useful tool for theoretical studies of multichromophore systems. We recently showed that the exciton model could be used to coarse-grain electronic structure in multichromophoric systems, focusing on singly excited exciton states. However, our previous implementation excluded charge-transfer excited states, which can play an important role in light-harvesting systems and near-infrared optoelectronic materials. Recent studies have also emphasized the significance of charge-transfer in singlet fission, which mediates the coupling between the locally excited states and the multiexcitonic states. In this work, we report on an ab initio exciton model that incorporates charge-transfer excited statesmore » and demonstrate that the model provides correct charge-transfer excitation energies and asymptotic behavior. Comparison with TDDFT and EOM-CC2 calculations shows that our exciton model is robust with respect to system size, screening parameter, and different density functionals. Inclusion of charge-transfer excited states makes the exciton model more useful for studies of singly excited states and provides a starting point for future construction of a model that also includes double-exciton states.« less

  14. An Ab Initio Exciton Model Including Charge-Transfer Excited States.

    PubMed

    Li, Xin; Parrish, Robert M; Liu, Fang; Kokkila Schumacher, Sara I L; Martínez, Todd J

    2017-08-08

    The Frenkel exciton model is a useful tool for theoretical studies of multichromophore systems. We recently showed that the exciton model could be used to coarse-grain electronic structure in multichromophoric systems, focusing on singly excited exciton states [ Acc. Chem. Res. 2014 , 47 , 2857 - 2866 ]. However, our previous implementation excluded charge-transfer excited states, which can play an important role in light-harvesting systems and near-infrared optoelectronic materials. Recent studies have also emphasized the significance of charge-transfer in singlet fission, which mediates the coupling between the locally excited states and the multiexcitonic states. In this work, we report on an ab initio exciton model that incorporates charge-transfer excited states and demonstrate that the model provides correct charge-transfer excitation energies and asymptotic behavior. Comparison with TDDFT and EOM-CC2 calculations shows that our exciton model is robust with respect to system size, screening parameter, and different density functionals. Inclusion of charge-transfer excited states makes the exciton model more useful for studies of singly excited states and provides a starting point for future construction of a model that also includes double-exciton states.

  15. A low-spin Fe(III) complex with 100-ps ligand-to-metal charge transfer photoluminescence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chábera, Pavel; Liu, Yizhu; Prakash, Om; Thyrhaug, Erling; Nahhas, Amal El; Honarfar, Alireza; Essén, Sofia; Fredin, Lisa A.; Harlang, Tobias C. B.; Kjær, Kasper S.; Handrup, Karsten; Ericson, Fredric; Tatsuno, Hideyuki; Morgan, Kelsey; Schnadt, Joachim; Häggström, Lennart; Ericsson, Tore; Sobkowiak, Adam; Lidin, Sven; Huang, Ping; Styring, Stenbjörn; Uhlig, Jens; Bendix, Jesper; Lomoth, Reiner; Sundström, Villy; Persson, Petter; Wärnmark, Kenneth

    2017-03-01

    Transition-metal complexes are used as photosensitizers, in light-emitting diodes, for biosensing and in photocatalysis. A key feature in these applications is excitation from the ground state to a charge-transfer state; the long charge-transfer-state lifetimes typical for complexes of ruthenium and other precious metals are often essential to ensure high performance. There is much interest in replacing these scarce elements with Earth-abundant metals, with iron and copper being particularly attractive owing to their low cost and non-toxicity. But despite the exploration of innovative molecular designs, it remains a formidable scientific challenge to access Earth-abundant transition-metal complexes with long-lived charge-transfer excited states. No known iron complexes are considered photoluminescent at room temperature, and their rapid excited-state deactivation precludes their use as photosensitizers. Here we present the iron complex [Fe(btz)3]3+ (where btz is 3,3‧-dimethyl-1,1‧-bis(p-tolyl)-4,4‧-bis(1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene)), and show that the superior σ-donor and π-acceptor electron properties of the ligand stabilize the excited state sufficiently to realize a long charge-transfer lifetime of 100 picoseconds (ps) and room-temperature photoluminescence. This species is a low-spin Fe(III) d5 complex, and emission occurs from a long-lived doublet ligand-to-metal charge-transfer (2LMCT) state that is rarely seen for transition-metal complexes. The absence of intersystem crossing, which often gives rise to large excited-state energy losses in transition-metal complexes, enables the observation of spin-allowed emission directly to the ground state and could be exploited as an increased driving force in photochemical reactions on surfaces. These findings suggest that appropriate design strategies can deliver new iron-based materials for use as light emitters and photosensitizers.

  16. Experimental and theoretical studies of the He(2+)-He system - Differential cross sections for direct, single-, and double-charge-transfer scattering at keV energies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gao, R. S.; Dutta, C. M.; Lane, N. F.; Smith, K. A.; Stebbings, R. F.; Kimura, M.

    1992-01-01

    Measurements and calculations of differential cross sections for direct scattering, single-charge transfer, and double-charge transfer in collisions of 1.5-, 2.0-, 6.0-, and 10.0-keV (He-3)2+ with an He-4 target are reported. The measurements cover laboratory scattering angles below 1.5 deg with an angular resolution of about 0.03 deg. A quantum-mechanical molecular-state representation is employed in the calculations; in the case of single-charge transfer a two-state close-coupling calculation is carried out taking into account electron-translation effects. The theoretical calculations agree well with the experimental results for direct scattering and double-charge transfer. The present calculation identifies the origins of oscillatory structures observed in the differential cross sections.

  17. A charge-driven molecular water pump.

    PubMed

    Gong, Xiaojing; Li, Jingyuan; Lu, Hangjun; Wan, Rongzheng; Li, Jichen; Hu, Jun; Fang, Haiping

    2007-11-01

    Understanding and controlling the transport of water across nanochannels is of great importance for designing novel molecular devices, machines and sensors and has wide applications, including the desalination of seawater. Nanopumps driven by electric or magnetic fields can transport ions and magnetic quanta, but water is charge-neutral and has no magnetic moment. On the basis of molecular dynamics simulations, we propose a design for a molecular water pump. The design uses a combination of charges positioned adjacent to a nanopore and is inspired by the structure of channels in the cellular membrane that conduct water in and out of the cell (aquaporins). The remarkable pumping ability is attributed to the charge dipole-induced ordering of water confined in the nanochannels, where water can be easily driven by external fields in a concerted fashion. These findings may provide possibilities for developing water transport devices that function without osmotic pressure or a hydrostatic pressure gradient.

  18. Directing the path of light-induced electron transfer at a molecular fork using vibrational excitation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Delor, Milan; Archer, Stuart A.; Keane, Theo; Meijer, Anthony J. H. M.; Sazanovich, Igor V.; Greetham, Gregory M.; Towrie, Michael; Weinstein, Julia A.

    2017-11-01

    Ultrafast electron transfer in condensed-phase molecular systems is often strongly coupled to intramolecular vibrations that can promote, suppress and direct electronic processes. Recent experiments exploring this phenomenon proved that light-induced electron transfer can be strongly modulated by vibrational excitation, suggesting a new avenue for active control over molecular function. Here, we achieve the first example of such explicit vibrational control through judicious design of a Pt(II)-acetylide charge-transfer donor-bridge-acceptor-bridge-donor 'fork' system: asymmetric 13C isotopic labelling of one of the two -C≡C- bridges makes the two parallel and otherwise identical donor→acceptor electron-transfer pathways structurally distinct, enabling independent vibrational perturbation of either. Applying an ultrafast UVpump(excitation)-IRpump(perturbation)-IRprobe(monitoring) pulse sequence, we show that the pathway that is vibrationally perturbed during UV-induced electron transfer is dramatically slowed down compared to its unperturbed counterpart. One can thus choose the dominant electron transfer pathway. The findings deliver a new opportunity for precise perturbative control of electronic energy propagation in molecular devices.

  19. Charge Transfer and Catalysis at the Metal Support Interface

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Baker, Lawrence Robert

    Kinetic, electronic, and spectroscopic characterization of model Pt–support systems are used to demonstrate the relationship between charge transfer and catalytic activity and selectivity. The results show that charge flow controls the activity and selectivity of supported metal catalysts. This dissertation builds on extensive existing knowledge of metal–support interactions in heterogeneous catalysis. The results show the prominent role of charge transfer at catalytic interfaces to determine catalytic activity and selectivity. Further, this research demonstrates the possibility of selectively driving catalytic chemistry by controlling charge flow and presents solid-state devices and doped supports as novel methods for obtaining electronic control over catalyticmore » reaction kinetics.« less

  20. N-type molecular electrical doping in organic semiconductors: formation and dissociation efficiencies of charge transfer complex

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Jae-Min; Yoo, Seung-Jun; Moon, Chang-Ki; Sim, Bomi; Lee, Jae-Hyun; Lim, Heeseon; Kim, Jeong Won; Kim, Jang-Joo

    2016-09-01

    Electrical doping is an important method in organic electronics to enhance device efficiency by controlling Fermi level, increasing conductivity, and reducing injection barrier from electrode. To understand the charge generation process of dopant in doped organic semiconductors, it is important to analyze the charge transfer complex (CTC) formation and dissociation into free charge carrier. In this paper, we correlate charge generation efficiency with the CTC formation and dissociation efficiency of n-dopant in organic semiconductors (OSs). The CTC formation efficiency of Rb2CO3 linearly decreases from 82.8% to 47.0% as the doping concentration increases from 2.5 mol% to 20 mol%. The CTC formation efficiency and its linear decrease with doping concentration are analytically correlated with the concentration-dependent size and number of dopant agglomerates by introducing the degree of reduced CTC formation. Lastly, the behavior of dissociation efficiency is discussed based on the picture of the statistical semiconductor theory and the frontier orbital hybridization model.

  1. Excited State Structural Dynamics of Carotenoids and ChargeTransfer Systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Van Tassle, Aaron Justin

    This dissertation describes the development andimplementation of a visible/near infrared pump/mid-infrared probeapparatus. Chapter 1 describes the background and motivation ofinvestigating optically induced structural dynamics, paying specificattention to solvation and the excitation selection rules of highlysymmetric molecules such as carotenoids. Chapter 2 describes thedevelopment and construction of the experimental apparatus usedthroughout the remainder of this dissertation. Chapter 3 will discuss theinvestigation of DCM, a laser dye with a fluorescence signal resultingfrom a charge transfer state. By studying the dynamics of DCM and of itsmethyl deuterated isotopomer (an otherwise identical molecule), we areable to investigate the origins of the charge transfer statemore » and provideevidence that it is of the controversial twisted intramolecular (TICT)type. Chapter 4 introduces the use of two-photon excitation to the S1state, combined with one-photon excitation to the S2 state of thecarotenoid beta-apo-8'-carotenal. These 2 investigations show evidencefor the formation of solitons, previously unobserved in molecular systemsand found only in conducting polymers Chapter 5 presents an investigationof the excited state dynamics of peridinin, the carotenoid responsiblefor the light harvesting of dinoflagellates. This investigation allowsfor a more detailed understanding of the importance of structuraldynamics of carotenoids in light harvesting.« less

  2. Influence of Molecular Orientation on Charge-Transfer Processes at Phthalocyanine/Metal Oxide Interfaces and Relationship to Organic Photovoltaic Performance

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lin, Hsiao-Chu; MacDonald, Gordon A.; Shi, Yanrong

    2015-05-04

    The effect of the molecular orientation distribution of the first monolayer of donor molecules at the hole-harvesting contact in an organic photovoltaic (OPV) on device efficiency was investigated. Two zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) phosphonic acids (PA) deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes are compared: ZnPc(PA)4 contains PA linkers in all four quadrants, and ZnPcPA contains a PA linker in one quadrant. ZnPcPA monolayers exhibited a broad distribution of molecular orientations whereas ZnPc(PA)4 adsorption produced a monolayer with a narrower orientation distribution with the molecular plane more parallel to the ITO surface. We used potential-modulated attenuated total reflectance spectroelectrochemistry (PM-ATR) tomore » characterize the charge-transfer kinetics of these films and show that the highest rate constants correspond to ZnPc subpopulations that are oriented more parallel to the ITO surface plane. For ZnPc(PA)4, rate constants exceeded 104 s–1 and are among the highest ever reported for a surface-confined redox couple, which is attributable to both its orientation and the small ZnPc–electrode separation distance. The performance of OPVs with ITO hole-harvesting contacts modified with ZnPc(PA)4 was comparable to that achieved with highly activated bare ITO contacts, whereas for ZnPcPA-modified contacts, the OPV performance was similar to that observed with (hole-blocking) alkyl-PA modifiers. These results demonstrate the synergism between molecular structure, energetics, and dynamics at interfaces in OPVs.« less

  3. Mechanism of charge transfer and its impacts on Fermi-level pinning for gas molecules adsorbed on monolayer WS2.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Changjie; Yang, Weihuang; Zhu, Huili

    2015-06-07

    Density functional theory calculations were performed to assess changes in the geometric and electronic structures of monolayer WS2 upon adsorption of various gas molecules (H2, O2, H2O, NH3, NO, NO2, and CO). The most stable configuration of the adsorbed molecules, the adsorption energy, and the degree of charge transfer between adsorbate and substrate were determined. All evaluated molecules were physisorbed on monolayer WS2 with a low degree of charge transfer and accept charge from the monolayer, except for NH3, which is a charge donor. Band structure calculations showed that the valence and conduction bands of monolayer WS2 are not significantly altered upon adsorption of H2, H2O, NH3, and CO, whereas the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals of O2, NO, and NO2 are pinned around the Fermi-level when these molecules are adsorbed on monolayer WS2. The phenomenon of Fermi-level pinning was discussed in light of the traditional and orbital mixing charge transfer theories. The impacts of the charge transfer mechanism on Fermi-level pinning were confirmed for the gas molecules adsorbed on monolayer WS2. The proposed mechanism governing Fermi-level pinning is applicable to the systems of adsorbates on recently developed two-dimensional materials, such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides.

  4. Dielectric spectroscopy on organic charge-transfer salts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lunkenheimer, P.; Loidl, A.

    2015-09-01

    This topical review provides an overview of the dielectric properties of a variety of organic charge-transfer salts, based on both, data reported in literature and our own experimental results. Moreover, we discuss in detail the different processes that can contribute to the dielectric response of these materials. We concentrate on the family of the 1D (TMTTF)2 X systems and the 2D BEDT-TTF-based charge-transfer salts, which in recent years have attracted considerable interest due to their often intriguing dielectric properties. We will mainly focus on the occurrence of electronic ferroelectricity in these systems, which also includes examples of multiferroicity.

  5. Dielectric spectroscopy on organic charge-transfer salts.

    PubMed

    Lunkenheimer, P; Loidl, A

    2015-09-23

    This topical review provides an overview of the dielectric properties of a variety of organic charge-transfer salts, based on both, data reported in literature and our own experimental results. Moreover, we discuss in detail the different processes that can contribute to the dielectric response of these materials. We concentrate on the family of the 1D (TMTTF)2 X systems and the 2D BEDT-TTF-based charge-transfer salts, which in recent years have attracted considerable interest due to their often intriguing dielectric properties. We will mainly focus on the occurrence of electronic ferroelectricity in these systems, which also includes examples of multiferroicity.

  6. Charge-transfer contributions to the excitonic coupling matrix element in BODIPY-based energy transfer cassettes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spiegel, J. Dominik; Lyskov, Igor; Kleinschmidt, Martin; Marian, Christel M.

    2017-01-01

    BODIPY-based dyads serve as model systems for the investigation of excitation energy transfer (EET). Through-space EET is brought about by direct and exchange interactions between the transition densities of donor and acceptor localized states. The presence of a molecular linker gives rise to additional charge transfer (CT) contributions. Here, we present a novel approach for the calculation of the excitonic coupling matrix element (ECME) including CT contributions which is based on supermolecular one-electron transition density matrices (STD). The validity of the approach is assessed for a model system of two π -stacked ethylene molecules at varying intermolecular separation. Wave functions and electronic excitation energies of five EET cassettes comprising anthracene as exciton donor and BODIPY as exciton acceptor are obtained by the redesigned combined density functional theory and multireference configuration interaction (DFT/MRCI-R) method. CT contributions to the ECME are shown to be important in the covalently linked EET cassettes.

  7. Understanding charge transport in molecular electronics.

    PubMed

    Kushmerick, J J; Pollack, S K; Yang, J C; Naciri, J; Holt, D B; Ratner, M A; Shashidhar, R

    2003-12-01

    For molecular electronics to become a viable technology the factors that control charge transport across a metal-molecule-metal junction need to be elucidated. We use an experimentally simple crossed-wire tunnel junction to interrogate how factors such as metal-molecule coupling, molecular structure, and the choice of metal electrode influence the current-voltage characteristics of a molecular junction.

  8. Polarization and charge transfer in the hydration of chloride ions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhao Zhen; Rogers, David M.; Beck, Thomas L.

    2010-01-07

    A theoretical study of the structural and electronic properties of the chloride ion and water molecules in the first hydration shell is presented. The calculations are performed on an ensemble of configurations obtained from molecular dynamics simulations of a single chloride ion in bulk water. The simulations utilize the polarizable AMOEBA force field for trajectory generation and MP2-level calculations are performed to examine the electronic structure properties of the ions and surrounding waters in the external field of more distant waters. The ChelpG method is employed to explore the effective charges and dipoles on the chloride ions and first-shell waters.more » The quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) is further utilized to examine charge transfer from the anion to surrounding water molecules. The clusters extracted from the AMOEBA simulations exhibit high probabilities of anisotropic solvation for chloride ions in bulk water. From the QTAIM analysis, 0.2 elementary charges are transferred from the ion to the first-shell water molecules. The default AMOEBA model overestimates the average dipole moment magnitude of the ion compared to the quantum mechanical value. The average magnitude of the dipole moment of the water molecules in the first shell treated at the MP2-level, with the more distant waters handled with an AMOEBA effective charge model, is 2.67 D. This value is close to the AMOEBA result for first-shell waters (2.72 D) and is slightly reduced from the bulk AMOEBA value (2.78 D). The magnitude of the dipole moment of the water molecules in the first solvation shell is most strongly affected by the local water-water interactions and hydrogen bonds with the second solvation shell, rather than by interactions with the ion.« less

  9. Graphene Charge Transfer, Spectroscopy, and Photochemical Reactions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brus, Louis

    This project focused on the special electronic and optical properties of graphene and adsorbed molecular species. Graphene makes an excellent substrate for current collection in nanostructured photovoltaic designs. Graphene is almost transparent, and can be used as a solar cell window. It also has no surface states, and thus current is efficiently transported over long distances. Progress in graphene synthesis indicates that there will soon be practical methods for making large pieces of graphene for devices. We now need to understand exactly what happens to both ground state and electronically excited molecules and Qdots near graphene, if we are goingmore » to use them to absorb light in a nano-structured photovoltaic device using graphene to collect photocurrent. We also need to understand how to shift the graphene Fermi level, to optimize the kinetics of electron transfer to graphene. And we need to learn how to convert local graphene areas to semiconductor structure, to make useful spatially patterned graphenes. In this final report, we describe how we addressed these goals. We explored the question of possible Surface Enhanced Raman spectroscopy from molecular Charge Transfer onto Graphene substrates. We observed strong hole doping of graphene by adsorbed halogens as indicated by the shift of the graphene G Raman band. In the case of iodine adsorption, we also observed the anionic species made by hole doping. At low frequency in the Raman spectrum, we saw quite intense lines from I 3 - and I 5 - , suggesting possible SERS. We reported on Fresnel calculations on this thin film system, which did not show any net electromagnetic field enhancement.« less

  10. Enhancing SERS by Means of Supramolecular Charge Transfer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wong, Eric; Flood, Amar; Morales, Alfredo

    2009-01-01

    In a proposed method of sensing small quantities of molecules of interest, surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy would be further enhanced by means of intermolecular or supramolecular charge transfer. There is a very large potential market for sensors based on this method for rapid detection of chemical and biological hazards. In SERS, the Raman signals (vibrational spectra) of target molecules become enhanced by factors of the order of 108 when those molecules are in the vicinities of nanostructured substrate surfaces that have been engineered to have plasmon resonances that enhance local electric fields. SERS, as reported in several prior NASA Tech Briefs articles and elsewhere, has remained a research tool and has not yet been developed into a practical technique for sensing of target molecules: this is because the short range (5 to 20 nm) of the field enhancement necessitates engineering of receptor molecules to attract target molecules to the nanostructured substrate surfaces and to enable reliable identification of the target molecules in the presence of interferants. Intermolecular charge-transfer complexes have been used in fluorescence-, photoluminescence-, and electrochemistry-based techniques for sensing target molecules, but, until now, have not been considered for use in SERS-based sensing. The basic idea of the proposed method is to engineer receptor molecules that would be attached to nanostructured SERS substrates and that would interact with the target molecules to form receptor-target supramolecular charge-transfer complexes wherein the charge transfer could be photoexcited.

  11. CCD charge collection efficiency and the photon transfer technique

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Janesick, J.; Klaasen, K.; Elliott, T.

    1985-01-01

    The charge-coupled device (CCD) has shown unprecendented performance as a photon detector in the areas of spectral response, charge transfer, and readout noise. Recent experience indicates, however, that the full potential for the CCD's charge collection efficiency (CCE) lies well beyond that which is realized in currently available devices. A definition of CCE performance is presented and a standard test tool (the photon transfer technique) for measuring and optimizing this important CCD parameter is introduced. CCE characteristics for different types of CCDs are compared; the primary limitations in achieving high CCE performance are discussed, and the prospects for future improvement are outlined.

  12. Photoinduced Charge Transfer from Titania to Surface Doping Site

    PubMed Central

    Inerbaev, Talgat; Hoefelmeyer, James D.; Kilin, Dmitri S.

    2013-01-01

    We evaluate a theoretical model in which Ru is substituting for Ti at the (100) surface of anatase TiO2. Charge transfer from the photo-excited TiO2 substrate to the catalytic site triggers the photo-catalytic event (such as water oxidation or reduction half-reaction). We perform ab-initio computational modeling of the charge transfer dynamics on the interface of TiO2 nanorod and catalytic site. A slab of TiO2 represents a fragment of TiO2 nanorod in the anatase phase. Titanium to ruthenium replacement is performed in a way to match the symmetry of TiO2 substrate. One molecular layer of adsorbed water is taken into consideration to mimic the experimental conditions. It is found that these adsorbed water molecules saturate dangling surface bonds and drastically affect the electronic properties of systems investigated. The modeling is performed by reduced density matrix method in the basis of Kohn-Sham orbitals. A nano-catalyst modeled through replacement defect contributes energy levels near the bottom of the conduction band of TiO2 nano-structure. An exciton in the nano-rod is dissipating due to interaction with lattice vibrations, treated through non-adiabatic coupling. The electron relaxes to conduction band edge and then to the Ru cite with faster rate than hole relaxes to the Ru cite. These results are of the importance for an optimal design of nano-materials for photo-catalytic water splitting and solar energy harvesting. PMID:23795229

  13. Photoinduced Charge Transfer from Titania to Surface Doping Site.

    PubMed

    Inerbaev, Talgat; Hoefelmeyer, James D; Kilin, Dmitri S

    2013-05-16

    We evaluate a theoretical model in which Ru is substituting for Ti at the (100) surface of anatase TiO 2 . Charge transfer from the photo-excited TiO 2 substrate to the catalytic site triggers the photo-catalytic event (such as water oxidation or reduction half-reaction). We perform ab-initio computational modeling of the charge transfer dynamics on the interface of TiO 2 nanorod and catalytic site. A slab of TiO 2 represents a fragment of TiO 2 nanorod in the anatase phase. Titanium to ruthenium replacement is performed in a way to match the symmetry of TiO 2 substrate. One molecular layer of adsorbed water is taken into consideration to mimic the experimental conditions. It is found that these adsorbed water molecules saturate dangling surface bonds and drastically affect the electronic properties of systems investigated. The modeling is performed by reduced density matrix method in the basis of Kohn-Sham orbitals. A nano-catalyst modeled through replacement defect contributes energy levels near the bottom of the conduction band of TiO 2 nano-structure. An exciton in the nano-rod is dissipating due to interaction with lattice vibrations, treated through non-adiabatic coupling. The electron relaxes to conduction band edge and then to the Ru cite with faster rate than hole relaxes to the Ru cite. These results are of the importance for an optimal design of nano-materials for photo-catalytic water splitting and solar energy harvesting.

  14. Single-step electron transfer on the nanometer scale: ultra-fast charge shift in strongly coupled zinc porphyrin-gold porphyrin dyads.

    PubMed

    Fortage, Jérôme; Boixel, Julien; Blart, Errol; Hammarström, Leif; Becker, Hans Christian; Odobel, Fabrice

    2008-01-01

    The synthesis, electrochemical properties, and photoinduced electron transfer processes of a series of three novel zinc(II)-gold(III) bisporphyrin dyads (ZnP--S--AuP(+)) are described. The systems studied consist of two trisaryl porphyrins connected directly in the meso position via an alkyne unit to tert-(phenylenethynylene) or penta(phenylenethynylene) spacers. In these dyads, the estimated center to center interporphyrin separation distance varies from 32 to 45 A. The absorption, emission, and electrochemical data indicate that there are strong electronic interactions between the linked elements, thanks to the direct attachment of the spacer on the porphyrin ring through the alkyne unit. At room temperature in toluene, light excitation of the zinc porphyrin results in almost quantitative formation of the charge shifted state (.+)ZnP--S--AuP(.), whose lifetime is in the order of hundreds of picoseconds. In this solvent, the charge-separated state decays to the ground state through the intermediate population of the zinc porphyrin triplet excited state. Excitation of the gold porphyrin leads instead to rapid energy transfer to the triplet ZnP. In dichloromethane the charge shift reactions are even faster, with time constants down to 2 ps, and may be induced also by excitation of the gold porphyrin. In this latter solvent, the longest charge-shifted lifetime (tau=2.3 ns) was obtained with the penta-(phenylenethynylene) spacer. The charge shift reactions are discussed in terms of bridge-mediated super-exchange mechanisms as electron or hole transfer. These new bis-porphyrin arrays, with strong electronic coupling, represent interesting molecular systems in which extremely fast and efficient long-range photoinduced charge shift occurs over a long distance. The rate constants are two to three orders of magnitude larger than for corresponding ZnP--AuP(+) dyads linked via meso-phenyl groups to oligo-phenyleneethynylene spacers. This study demonstrates the critical

  15. State-selective charge exchange in slow collisions of Si3+ ions with H atoms: A molecular state close coupling treatment*)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Joseph, Dwayne C.; Saha, Bidhan C.

    2012-11-01

    Charge transfer cross sections are calculated by employing both the quantal and semiclassical ɛ(R) molecular orbital close coupling (MOCC) approximations in the adiabatic representation and compared with other theoretical and experimental results

  16. Phase-Transfer Energetics of Small-Molecule Alcohols Across the Water-Hexane Interface: Molecular Dynamics Simulation Using Charge Equilibration Models

    PubMed Central

    Bauer, Brad A.; Zhong, Yang; Meninger, David J.; Davis, Joseph E.; Patel, Sandeep

    2010-01-01

    We study the water-hexane interface using molecular dynamics (MD) and polarizable charge equilibration (CHEQ) force fields. Bulk densities for TIP4P-FQ water and hexane, 1.0086±0.0002 g/cm3 and 0.6378±0.0001 g/cm3, demonstrate excellent agreement with experiment. Interfacial width and interfacial tension are consistent with previously reported values. The in-plane component of the dielectric permittivity (ε∥) for water is shown to decrease from 81.7±0.04 to unity, transitioning longitudinally from bulk water to bulk hexane. ε∥ for hexane reaches a maximum in the interface, but this term represents only a small contribution to the total dielectric constant (as expected for a non-polar species). Structurally, net orientations of the molecules arise in the interfacial region such that hexane lies slightly parallel to the interface and water reorients to maximize hydrogen bonding. Interfacial potentials due to contributions of the water and hexane are calculated to be -567.9±0.13mV and 198.7±0.01mV, respectively, giving rise to a total potential in agreement with the range of values reported from previous simulations of similar systems. Potentials of mean force (PMF) calculated for methanol, ethanol, and 1-propanol for the transfer from water to hexane indicate an interfacial free energy minimum, corresponding to the amphiphilic nature of the molecules. The magnitudes of transfer free energies were further characterized from the solvation free energies of alcohols in water and hexane using thermodynamic integration. This analysis shows that solvation free energies for alcohols in hexane are 0.2-0.3 kcal/mol too unfavorable, whereas solvation of alcohols in water is approximately 1 kcal/mol too favorable. For the pure hexane-water interfacial simulations, we observe a monotonic decrease of the water dipole moment to near-vacuum values. This suggests that the electrostatic component of the desolvation free energy is not as severe for polarizable models than

  17. Energy and charge transfer in nanoscale hybrid materials.

    PubMed

    Basché, Thomas; Bottin, Anne; Li, Chen; Müllen, Klaus; Kim, Jeong-Hee; Sohn, Byeong-Hyeok; Prabhakaran, Prem; Lee, Kwang-Sup

    2015-06-01

    Hybrid materials composed of colloidal semiconductor quantum dots and π-conjugated organic molecules and polymers have attracted continuous interest in recent years, because they may find applications in bio-sensing, photodetection, and photovoltaics. Fundamental processes occurring in these nanohybrids are light absorption and emission as well as energy and/or charge transfer between the components. For future applications it is mandatory to understand, control, and optimize the wide parameter space with respect to chemical assembly and the desired photophysical properties. Accordingly, different approaches to tackle this issue are described here. Simple organic dye molecules (Dye)/quantum dot (QD) conjugates are studied with stationary and time-resolved spectroscopy to address the dynamics of energy and ultra-fast charge transfer. Micellar as well as lamellar nanostructures derived from diblock copolymers are employed to fine-tune the energy transfer efficiency of QD donor/dye acceptor couples. Finally, the transport of charges through organic components coupled to the quantum dot surface is discussed with an emphasis on functional devices. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Controlling the directionality of charge transfer in phthalocyaninato zinc sensitizer for a dye-sensitized solar cell: density functional theory studies.

    PubMed

    Wan, Liang; Qi, Dongdong; Zhang, Yuexing; Jiang, Jianzhuang

    2011-01-28

    Density functional theory (DFT) calculation on the molecular structures, charge distribution, molecular orbitals, electronic absorption spectra of a series of eight unsymmetrical phthalocyaninato zinc complexes with one peripheral (E)-2-cyano-3-(5-vinylthiophen-2-yl) acrylic acid substituent at 2 or 3 position as an electron-withdrawing group and a different number of electron-donating amino groups at the remaining peripheral positions (9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24) of the phthalocyanine ring, namely ZnPc-β-A, ZnPc-β-A-I-NH(2), ZnPc-β-A-II-NH(2), ZnPc-β-A-III-NH(2), ZnPc-β-A-I,II-NH(2), ZnPc-β-A-I,III-NH(2), ZnPc-β-A-II,III-NH(2), and ZnPc-β-A-I,II,III-NH(2), reveals the effects of amino groups on the charge transfer properties of these phthalocyanine derivatives with a typical D-π-A electronic structure. The introduction of amino groups was revealed altering of the atomic charge distribution, lifting the frontier molecular orbital level, red-shift of the near-IR bands in the electronic absorption spectra, and finally resulting in enhanced charge transfer directionality for the phthalocyanine compounds. Along with the increase of the peripheral amino groups at the phthalocyanine ring from 0, 2, 4, to 6, the dihedral angle between the phthalocyanine ring and the average plane of the (E)-2-cyano-3-(5-vinylthiophen-2-yl) acrylic acid substituent increases from 0 to 3.3° in an irregular manner. This is in good contrast to the regular and significant change in the charge distribution, destabilization of frontier orbital energies, and red shift of near-IR bands of phthalocyanine compounds along the same order. In addition, comparative studies indicate the smaller effect of incorporating two amino groups onto the 16 and 17 than on 9 and 10 or 23 and 24 peripheral positions of the phthalocyanine ring onto the aforementioned electronic properties, suggesting the least effect on tuning the charge transfer property of the phthalocyanine compound via introducing two

  19. Exciplex: An Intermolecular Charge-Transfer Approach for TADF.

    PubMed

    Sarma, Monima; Wong, Ken-Tsung

    2018-04-03

    Organic materials that display thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) are a striking class of functional materials that have witnessed a booming progress in recent years. In addition to pure TADF emitters achieved by the subtle manipulations of intramolecular charge transfer processes with sophisticated molecular structures, a new class of efficient TADF-based OLEDs with emitting layer formed by blending electron donor and acceptor molecules that involve intermolecular charge transfer have also been fabricated. In contrast to pure TADF materials, the exciplex-based systems can realize small ΔEST (0-0.05 eV) much more easily since the electron and hole are positioned on two different molecules, thereby giving small exchange energy. Consequently, exciplex-based OLEDs have the prospective to maximize the TADF contribution and achieve theoretical 100% internal quantum efficiency. Therefore, the challenging issue of achieving small ΔEST in organic systems could be solved. In this article, we summarize and discuss the latest and most significant developments regarding these rapidly evolving functional materials, wherein the majority of the reported exciplex forming systems are categorized into two sub-groups, viz. (a) exciplex as TADF emitters and (b) those as hosts for fluorescent, phosphorescent and TADF dopants according to their structural features and applications. The working mechanisms of the direct electroluminescence from the donor/acceptor interface and the exciplex-forming systems as co-host for the realization of high efficiency OLEDs are reviewed and discussed. This article delivers a summary of the current progresses and achievements of exciplex-based researches and points out the future challenges to trigger more research endeavors to this growing field.

  20. Coupled electron-nuclear dynamics: Charge migration and charge transfer initiated near a conical intersection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mendive-Tapia, David; Vacher, Morgane; Bearpark, Michael J.; Robb, Michael A.

    2013-07-01

    Coupled electron-nuclear dynamics, implemented using the Ehrenfest method, has been used to study charge migration with fixed nuclei, together with charge transfer when nuclei are allowed to move. Simulations were initiated at reference geometries of neutral benzene and 2-phenylethylamine (PEA), and at geometries close to potential energy surface crossings in the cations. Cationic eigenstates, and the so-called sudden approximation, involving removal of an electron from a correlated ground-state wavefunction for the neutral species, were used as initial conditions. Charge migration without coupled nuclear motion could be observed if the Ehrenfest simulation, using the sudden approximation, was started near a conical intersection where the states were both strongly coupled and quasi-degenerate. Further, the main features associated with charge migration were still recognizable when the nuclear motion was allowed to couple. In the benzene radical cation, starting from the reference neutral geometry with the sudden approximation, one could observe sub-femtosecond charge migration with a small amplitude, which results from weak interaction with higher electronic states. However, we were able to engineer large amplitude charge migration, with a period between 10 and 100 fs, corresponding to oscillation of the electronic structure between the quinoid and anti-quinoid cationic electronic configurations, by distorting the geometry along the derivative coupling vector from the D6h Jahn-Teller crossing to lower symmetry where the states are not degenerate. When the nuclear motion becomes coupled, the period changes only slightly. In PEA, in an Ehrenfest trajectory starting from the D2 eigenstate and reference geometry, a partial charge transfer occurs after about 12 fs near the first crossing between D1, D2 (N+-Phenyl, N-Phenyl+). If the Ehrenfest propagation is started near this point, using the sudden approximation without coupled nuclear motion, one observes an

  1. Large Ice Crystal Charge Transfer Studies

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-10-28

    electrification. However, the extra- polation using qcd 4 was completely unjustified. With corrected values of the separation probability of ice crystals...contact to leak away from the local area or become trapped in the crystal lattice . Obviously, larger initial charge transfers, with larger 6 crystals

  2. Optimisation of stability and charge transferability of ferrocene-encapsulated carbon nanotubes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prajongtat, Pongthep; Sriyab, Suwannee; Zentgraf, Thomas; Hannongbua, Supa

    2018-01-01

    Ferrocene-encapsulated carbon nanotubes (Fc@CNTs) became promising nanocomposite materials for a wide range of applications due to their superior catalytic, mechanical and electronic properties. To open up new windows of applications, the highly stable and charge transferable encapsulation complexes are required. In this work, we designed the new encapsulation complexes formed from ferrocene derivatives (FcR, where R = -CHO, -CH2OH, -CON3 and -PCl2) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The influence of diameter and chirality of the nanotubes on the stability, charge transferability and electronic properties of such complexes has been investigated using density functional theory. The calculations suggest that the encapsulation stability and charge transferability of the encapsulation complexes depend on the size and chirality of the nanotubes. FcR@SWCNTs are more stable than Fc@SWCNTs at the optimum tube diameter. The greatest charge transfer was observed for FcCH2OH@SWCNTs and Fc@SWCNTs since the Fe d levels of FcCH2OH and Fc are nearly equal and close to the Fermi energy level of the nanotubes. The obtained results pave the way to the design of new encapsulated ferrocene derivatives which can give rise to higher stability and charge transferability of the encapsulation complexes.

  3. Theoretical investigation of the charge-transfer properties in different meso-linked zinc porphyrins for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells.

    PubMed

    Namuangruk, Supawadee; Sirithip, Kanokkorn; Rattanatwan, Rattanawelee; Keawin, Tinnagon; Kungwan, Nawee; Sudyodsuk, Taweesak; Promarak, Vinich; Surakhot, Yaowarat; Jungsuttiwong, Siriporn

    2014-06-28

    The charge transfer effect of different meso-substituted linkages on porphyrin analogue 1 (A1, B1 and C1) was theoretically investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) calculations. The calculated geometry parameters and natural bond orbital analysis reveal that the twisted conformation between porphyrin macrocycle and meso-substituted linkages leads to blocking of the conjugation of the conjugated backbone, and the frontier molecular orbital plot shows that the intramolecular charge transfer of A1, B1 and C1 hardly takes place. In an attempt to improve the photoinduced intramolecular charge transfer ability of the meso-linked zinc porphyrin sensitizer, a strong electron-withdrawing group (CN) was introduced into the anchoring group of analogue 1 forming analogue 2 (A2, B2 and C2). The density difference plot of A2, B2 and C2 shows that the charge transfer properties dramatically improved. The electron injection process has been performed using TDDFT; the direct charge-transfer transition in the A2-(TiO2)38 interacting system takes place; our results strongly indicated that introducing electron-withdrawing groups into the acceptor part of porphyrin dyes can fine-tune the effective conjugation length of the π-spacer and improve intramolecular charge transfer properties, consequently inducing the electron injection process from the anchoring group of the porphyrin dye to the (TiO2)38 surface which may improve the conversion efficiency of the DSSCs. Our calculated results can provide valuable information and a promising outlook for computation-aided sensitizer design with anticipated good properties in further experimental synthesis.

  4. Organic heterojunctions: Contact-induced molecular reorientation, interface states, and charge re-distribution

    PubMed Central

    Opitz, Andreas; Wilke, Andreas; Amsalem, Patrick; Oehzelt, Martin; Blum, Ralf-Peter; Rabe, Jürgen P.; Mizokuro, Toshiko; Hörmann, Ulrich; Hansson, Rickard; Moons, Ellen; Koch, Norbert

    2016-01-01

    We reveal the rather complex interplay of contact-induced re-orientation and interfacial electronic structure – in the presence of Fermi-level pinning – at prototypical molecular heterojunctions comprising copper phthalocyanine (H16CuPc) and its perfluorinated analogue (F16CuPc), by employing ultraviolet photoelectron and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. For both layer sequences, we find that Fermi-level (EF) pinning of the first layer on the conductive polymer substrate modifies the work function encountered by the second layer such that it also becomes EF-pinned, however, at the interface towards the first molecular layer. This results in a charge transfer accompanied by a sheet charge density at the organic/organic interface. While molecules in the bulk of the films exhibit upright orientation, contact formation at the heterojunction results in an interfacial bilayer with lying and co-facial orientation. This interfacial layer is not EF-pinned, but provides for an additional density of states at the interface that is not present in the bulk. With reliable knowledge of the organic heterojunction’s electronic structure we can explain the poor performance of these in photovoltaic cells as well as their valuable function as charge generation layer in electronic devices. PMID:26887445

  5. Charge Transfer in Collisions of S^4+ with He.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, J. G.; Stancil, P. C.; Turner, A. R.; Cooper, D. L.; Schultz, D. R.; Rakovic, M. J.; Fritsch, W.; Zygelman, B.

    2001-05-01

    Charge transfer processes due to collisions of ground state S^4+ ions with atomic helium were investigated for energies between 0.1 meV/u and 10 MeV/u. Total and state-selective cross sections and rate coefficients were obtained utilizing the quantum-mechanical molecular-orbital close-coupling (MOCC), atomic-orbital close-coupling, classical trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC), and continuum distorted wave methods. The MOCC calculations utilized ab initio adiabatic potentials and nonadiabatic radial coupling matrix elements obtained with the spin-coupled valence-bond approach. A number of variants of the CTMC approach were also explored. Previous data are limited to an earlier Landau-Zener calculation of the total rate coefficient for which our results are two orders of magnitude larger. An observed multichannel interference effect in the MOCC results will also be discussed.

  6. Charge transfer excitations from exact and approximate ensemble Kohn-Sham theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gould, Tim; Kronik, Leeor; Pittalis, Stefano

    2018-05-01

    By studying the lowest excitations of an exactly solvable one-dimensional soft-Coulomb molecular model, we show that components of Kohn-Sham ensembles can be used to describe charge transfer processes. Furthermore, we compute the approximate excitation energies obtained by using the exact ensemble densities in the recently formulated ensemble Hartree-exchange theory [T. Gould and S. Pittalis, Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 243001 (2017)]. Remarkably, our results show that triplet excitations are accurately reproduced across a dissociation curve in all cases tested, even in systems where ground state energies are poor due to strong static correlations. Singlet excitations exhibit larger deviations from exact results but are still reproduced semi-quantitatively.

  7. Charge Transfer Processes in Collisions of Si4+ Ions with He Atoms at Intermediate Energies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suzuki, R.; Watanabe, A.; Sato, H.; Gu, J. P.; Hirsch, G.; Buenker, R. J.; Kimura, M.; Stancil, P. C.

    Charge transfer in collisions of Si4+ ions with He atoms below 100 keV/u is studied by using a molecular orbital representation within both the semiclassical and quantal representations. Single transfer reaction Si4++He →Si3++He+ has been studied by a number of theoretical investigations. In addition to the reaction (1), the first semiclassical MOCC calculations are performed for the double transfer channel Si4++HE→Si2++He2+ Nine molecular states that connect both with single and double electron transfer processes are considered in the present model. Electronic states and corresponding couplings are determined by the multireference single- and double- excitation configuration interaction method. The present cross sections tie well with the earlier calculations of Stancil et al., Phys. Rev. A 55, 1064 (1997) at lower energies, but show a rather different magnitude from those of Bacchus-Montabonel and Ceyzeriat, Phys. Rev. A 58, 1162 (1998). The present rate constant is found to be significantly different from the experimental finding of Fang and Kwong, Phys. Rev. A 59, 342 (1996) at 4,600 K, and hence does not support the experiment.

  8. Optical backbone-sidechain charge transfer transitions in proteins sensitive to secondary structure and modifications.

    PubMed

    Mandal, I; Paul, S; Venkatramani, R

    2018-04-17

    The absorption of light by proteins can induce charge transfer (CT) transitions in the UV-visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Metal-ligand complexes or active site prosthetic groups which absorb in the visible region exhibit prominent CT transitions. Furthermore, the protein backbone also exhibits CT transitions in the far UV range. In this manuscript, we present a detailed computational study of new near UV-visible CT transitions that involve amino acids with charged side chains. Specifically, using time dependent density functional theory calculations, we examine the absorption spectra of naturally charged amino acids (Lys, Glu, Arg, Asp and His), extracted from solution phase protein structures generated by classical molecular dynamics simulations, and phosphorylated amino acids (Tyr, Thr and Ser) from experimentally determined protein structures. We show that amino acids with charged sidechains present a directed electronic donor-bridge-acceptor paradigm, with the lowest energy optical excitations demonstrating peptide backbone-sidechain charge separations. The UV-visible spectral range of the backbone-sidechain CT transitions is determined by the chemical nature of the donor, bridge and acceptor groups within each amino acid, amino acid conformation and the protein secondary structure where the amino acids are located. Photoinduced CT occurs in opposite directions for the anionic and cationic amino acids along the ground state dipole moment vector for the chromophores. We find that photoinduced charge separation is more facile for the anionic amino acids (Asp, Glu, pSer, pThr and pTyr) relative to that for the cationic amino acids (Lys, Arg and Hsp). Our results provide a foundation for the development of spectroscopic markers based on the recently proposed Protein Charge Transfer Spectra (ProCharTS) which are relevant for the study of DNA-binding or intrinsically disordered proteins that are rich in charged amino acids.

  9. Application of double-hybrid density functionals to charge transfer in N-substituted pentacenequinones.

    PubMed

    Sancho-García, J C

    2012-05-07

    A set of N-heteroquinones, deriving from oligoacenes, have been recently proposed as n-type organic semiconductors with high electron mobilities in thin-film transistors. Generally speaking, this class of compounds self-assembles in neighboring π-stacks linked by weak hydrogen bonds. We aim at theoretically characterizing here the sequential charge transport (hopping) process expected to take place across these arrays of molecules. To do so, we need to accurately address the preferred packing of these materials simultaneously to single-molecule properties related to charge-transfer events, carefully employing dispersion-corrected density functional theory methods to accurately extract the key molecular parameters governing this phenomenon at the nanoscale. This study confirms the great deal of interest around these compounds, since controlled functionalization of model molecules (i.e., pentacene) allows to efficiently tune the corresponding charge mobilities, and the capacity of modern quantum-chemical methods to predict it after rationalizing the underlying structure-property relationships.

  10. Synthesis and characterization of highly conductive charge-transfer complexes using positron annihilation spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adam, Abdel Majid A.; Refat, Moamen S.; Sharshar, T.; Heiba, Z. K.

    Molecular charge-transfer complexes of the tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) with picric acid (Pi-OH), benzene-1,4-diol (QL), tin(IV) tetrachloride (SnCl4), iodine, bromine, and zinc chloride (ZnCl2) have been synthesized and investigated by elemental and thermal analysis, electronic, infrared, Raman and proton-NMR, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. In this work, three types of acceptors π-acceptors (Pi-OH and QL), σ-acceptors (iodine and bromine), and vacant orbital acceptors (SnCl4 and ZnCl2) were covered. The results of elemental analysis indicated that the CT complexes were formed with ratios 1:1 and 1:2 for QL, SnCl4, and ZnCl2 acceptors and iodine, Pi-OH, and Br2 acceptors, respectively. The type of chelating between the TMEDA donor and the mentioned acceptors depends upon the behavior of both items. The positron annihilation lifetime parameters were found to be dependent on the structure, electronic configuration, and the power of acceptors. The correlation between these parameters and the molecular weight and biological activities of studied complexes was also observed. Regarding the electrical properties, the AC conductivity and the dielectric coefficients were measured as a function of frequency at room temperature. The TMEDA charge-transfer complexes were screened against antibacterial (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and antifungal (Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans) activities.

  11. Charge Transfer from n-Doped Nanocrystals: Mimicking Intermediate Events in Multielectron Photocatalysis.

    PubMed

    Wang, Junhui; Ding, Tao; Wu, Kaifeng

    2018-06-12

    In multielectron photocatalytic reactions, an absorbed photon triggers charge transfer from the light-harvester to the attached catalyst, leaving behind a charge of the opposite sign in the light-harvester. If this charge is not scavenged before the absorption of the following photons, photoexcitation generates not neutral but charged excitons from which the extraction of charges should become more difficult. This is potentially an efficiency-limiting intermediate event in multielectron photocatalysis. To study the charge dynamics in this event, we doped CdS nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs) with an extra electron and measured hole transfer from n-doped QDs to attached acceptors. We find that the Auger decay of charged excitons lowers the charge separation yield to 68.6% from 98.4% for neutral excitons. In addition, the hole transfer rate in the presence of two electrons (1290 ps) is slower than that in the presence one electron (776 ps), and the recombination rate of charge separated states is about 2 times faster in the former case. This model study provides important insights into possible efficiency-limiting intermediate events involved in photocatalysis.

  12. Charge transfer transitions in optical spectra of NicMg1-cO oxides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Churmanov, V. N.; Sokolov, V. I.; Pustovarov, V. A.; Gruzdev, N. B.; Uimin, M. A.; Byzov, I. V.; Druzhinin, A. V.; Korolyov, A. V.; Kim, G. A.; Zatsepin, A. F.; Kuznetsova, J. A.

    2017-04-01

    Radiative recombination with charge transfer was observed in NicMg1-cO (c = 0.008) oxides over the 8-300 K temperature range. This recombination occurs as a result of strong hybridization of the Ni2+ ion 3d-states and the band states. The charge transfer radiation excitation spectrum shows vibrational LO repeats of two exciton lines having charge transfer energy intervals of about 35 meV. The NiO nanocrystal absorption spectrum shows two weak peaks with energies of 3.510 and 3.543 eV, which are highly dependent on temperature. They are interpreted as charge transfer excitons at the edge of NiO fundamental absorption. The distance between the charge transfer exciton lines in the NicMg1-cO oxide spectra are caused by spin-orbit splitting of the valence band peak that was formed by the p-states of the oxygen ion.

  13. Charge transfer efficiency improvement of 4T pixel for high speed CMOS image sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jin, Xiangliang; Liu, Weihui; Yang, Hongjiao; Tang, Lizhen; Yang, Jia

    2015-03-01

    The charge transfer efficiency improvement method is proposed by optimizing the electrical potential distribution along the transfer path from the PPD to the FD. In this work, we present a non-uniform doped transfer transistor channel, with the adjustments to the overlap length between the CPIA layer and the transfer gate, and the overlap length between the SEN layer and transfer gate. Theory analysis and TCAD simulation results show that the density of the residual charge reduces from 1e11 /cm3 to 1e9 /cm3, and the transfer time reduces from 500 ns to 143 ns, and the charge transfer efficiency is about 77 e-/ns. This optimizing design effectively improves the charge transfer efficiency of 4T pixel and the performance of 4T high speed CMOS image sensor.

  14. Creating and optimizing interfaces for electric-field and photon-induced charge transfer.

    PubMed

    Park, Byoungnam; Whitham, Kevin; Cho, Jiung; Reichmanis, Elsa

    2012-11-27

    We create and optimize a structurally well-defined electron donor-acceptor planar heterojunction interface in which electric-field and/or photon-induced charge transfer occurs. Electric-field-induced charge transfer in the dark and exciton dissociation at a pentacene/PCBM interface were probed by in situ thickness-dependent threshold voltage shift measurements in field-effect transistor devices during the formation of the interface. Electric-field-induced charge transfer at the interface in the dark is correlated with development of the pentacene accumulation layer close to PCBM, that is, including interface area, and dielectric relaxation time in PCBM. Further, we demonstrate an in situ test structure that allows probing of both exciton diffusion length and charge transport properties, crucial for optimizing optoelectronic devices. Competition between the optical absorption length and the exciton diffusion length in pentacene governs exciton dissociation at the interface. Charge transfer mechanisms in the dark and under illumination are detailed.

  15. Dependence of triboelectric charging behavior on material microstructure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Andrew E.; Gil, Phwey S.; Holonga, Moses; Yavuz, Zelal; Baytekin, H. Tarik; Sankaran, R. Mohan; Lacks, Daniel J.

    2017-08-01

    We demonstrate that differences in the microstructure of chemically identical materials can lead to distinct triboelectric charging behavior. Contact charging experiments are carried out between strained and unstrained polytetrafluoroethylene samples. Whereas charge transfer is random between samples of identical strain, when one of the samples is strained, systematic charge transfer occurs. No significant changes in the molecular-level structure of the polymer are observed by XRD and micro-Raman spectroscopy after deformation. However, the strained surfaces are found to exhibit void and craze formation spanning the nano- to micrometer length scales by molecular dynamics simulations, SEM, UV-vis spectroscopy, and naked-eye observations. This suggests that material microstructure (voids and crazes) can govern the triboelectric charging behavior of materials.

  16. Charge transfer properties of pentacene adsorbed on silver: DFT study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    N, Rekha T.; Rajkumar, Beulah J. M.

    2015-06-01

    Charge transfer properties of pentacene adsorbed on silver is investigated using DFT methods. Optimized geometry of pentacene after adsorption on silver indicates distortion in hexagonal structure of the ring close to the silver cluster and deviations in co-planarity of carbon atoms due to the variations in bond angles and dihedral angles. Theoretically simulated absorption spectrum has a symmetric surface plasmon resonance peak around 486nm corresponding to the transfer of charge from HOMO-2 to LUMO. Theoretical SERS confirms the process of adsorption, tilted orientation of pentacene on silver surface and the charge transfers reported. Localization of electron density arising from redistribution of electrostatic potential together with a reduced bandgap of pentacene after adsorption on silver suggests its utility in the design of electro active organic semiconducting devices.

  17. Blue Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Polymers with Nonconjugated Backbone and Through-Space Charge Transfer Effect.

    PubMed

    Shao, Shiyang; Hu, Jun; Wang, Xingdong; Wang, Lixiang; Jing, Xiabin; Wang, Fosong

    2017-12-13

    We demonstrate novel molecular design for thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) polymers based on a nonconjugated polyethylene backbone with through-space charge transfer effect between pendant electron donor (D) and acceptor (A) units. Different from conventional conjugated D-A polymers with through-bond charge transfer effect, the nonconjugated architecture avoids direct conjugation between D and A units, enabling blue emission. Meanwhile, spatial π-π interaction between the physically separated D and A units results in both small singlet-triplet energy splitting (0.019 eV) and high photoluminescence quantum yield (up to 60% in film state). The resulting polymer with 5 mol % acceptor unit gives efficient blue electroluminescence with Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage coordinates of (0.176, 0.269), together with a high external quantum efficiency of 12.1% and low efficiency roll-off of 4.9% (at 1000 cd m -2 ), which represents the first example of blue TADF nonconjugated polymer.

  18. Anharmonic vibrational spectroscopy, NBO charges and global chemical reactivity studies on the charge transfer PDCA-.AHMP+ single crystal using DFT calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faizan, Mohd; Afroz, Ziya; Bhat, Sheeraz Ahmad; Alam, Mohamad Jane; Ahmad, Shabbir; Ahmad, Afaq

    2018-04-01

    The charge transfer (CT) complex of the 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6-methylpyrimidine and 2,3 pyrazinedicarboxylic acid (PDCA-.AHMP+) was synthesized and its single crystal was grown by solution method. The structure of the crystalline complex has been investigated by single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD). The vibrational features of the complex have been studied with the help of FTIR spectra and DFT computation. The anharmonic corrections in vibrational frequencies are made using the GVPT2 method at B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. The frontier molecular orbitals and global chemical reactivity have been calculated to understand the pharmacological aspect of the synthesized crystal. Furthermore, Hirshfeld electrostatic potential (ESP) surface, void space in the crystal structure and natural as well as Mulliken atomic charges are studied.

  19. Influence of Coherent Tunneling and Incoherent Hopping on the Charge Transfer Mechanism in Linear Donor-Bridge-Acceptor Systems.

    PubMed

    Li, Guangqi; Govind, Niranjan; Ratner, Mark A; Cramer, Christopher J; Gagliardi, Laura

    2015-12-17

    The mechanism of charge transfer has been observed to change from tunneling to hopping with increasing numbers of DNA base pairs in polynucleotides and with the length of molecular wires. The aim of this paper is to investigate this transition by examining the population dynamics using a tight-binding Hamiltonian with model parameters to describe a linear donor-bridge-acceptor (D-B-A) system. The model includes a primary vibration and an electron-vibration coupling at each site. A further coupling of the primary vibration with a secondary phonon bath allows the system to dissipate energy to the environment and reach a steady state. We apply the quantum master equation (QME) approach, based on second-order perturbation theory in a quantum dissipative system, to examine the dynamical processes involved in charge-transfer and follow the population transfer rate at the acceptor, ka, to shed light on the transition from tunneling to hopping. With a small tunneling parameter, V, the on-site population tends to localize and form polarons, and the hopping mechanism dominates the transfer process. With increasing V, the population tends to be delocalized and the tunneling mechanism dominates. The competition between incoherent hopping and coherent tunneling governs the mechanism of charge transfer. By varying V and the total number of sites, we also examine the onset of the transition from tunneling to hopping with increasing length.

  20. High Pressure Optical Studies of the Thallous Halides and of Charge-Transfer Complexes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jurgensen, Charles Willard

    High pressure was used to study the insulator -to-metal transition in sulfur and the thallous halides and to study the intermolecular interactions in charge -transfer complexes. The approach to the band overlap insulator -to-metal transition was studied in three thallous halides and sulfur by optical absorption measurements of the band gap as a function of pressure. The band gap of sulfur continuously decreases with pressure up to the insulator -to-metal transition which occurs between 450 and 485 kbars. The results on the thallous halides indicate that the indirect gap decreases more rapidly than the direct gap; the closing of the indirect gap is responsible for the observed insulator -to-metal transitions. High pressure electronic and vibrational spectroscopic measurements on the solid-state complexes of HMB-TCNE were used to study the intermolecular interactions of charge -transfer complexes. The vibrational frequency shifts indicate that the degree of charge transfer increases with pressure which is independently confirmed by an increase in the molar absorptivity of the electronic charge-transfer peak. Induction and dispersion forces contribute towards a red shift of the charge-transfer peak; however, charge-transfer resonance contributes toward a blue shift and this effect is dominant for the HMB-TCNE complexes. High pressure electronic spectra were used to study the effect of intermolecular interactions on the electronic states of TCNQ and its complexes. The red shifts with pressure of the electronic spectra of TCNQ and (TCNQ)(' -) in polymer media and of crystalline TCNQ can be understood in terms of Van der Waals interactions. None of the calculations which considered intradimer distance obtained the proper behavior for either the charge-transfer of the locally excited states of the complexes. The qualitative behavior of both states can be interpreted as the effect of increased mixing of the locally excited and charge transfer states.

  1. The mechanisms of delayed fluorescence in charge-transfer crystal of tetracyanobenzene-hexamethylbenzene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kozankiewicz, B.; Prochorow, J.

    1989-08-01

    Fluorescence, phosphorescence and delayed fluorescence emission characteristics of tetracyanobenzene-hexamethylbenzene (TCNB-HMB) charge-transfer crystal have been studied in the 1.7-340 K temperature range. Delayed fluorescence, originating from heterogeneous triplet-triplet annihilation indicates the presence of mobile charge-transfer triplet excitons at a temperature as low as 1.7 K. However, the behaviour of triplet excitons in TCNB-HMB crystal is strongly controlled by a very efficient trapping process in the whole temperature range investigated. It was found that thermally activated delayed fluorescence, which is a dominating emission of the crystal at elevated temperatures (>60 K), has a different origin (a different initial state) at different temperatures. These observations were analysed and interpreted in terms of a photokinetic model, which is considered to be typical for charge-transfer crystals with high charge-transfer character of triplet excitons.

  2. Robust Stacking-Independent Ultrafast Charge Transfer in MoS2/WS2 Bilayers.

    PubMed

    Ji, Ziheng; Hong, Hao; Zhang, Jin; Zhang, Qi; Huang, Wei; Cao, Ting; Qiao, Ruixi; Liu, Can; Liang, Jing; Jin, Chuanhong; Jiao, Liying; Shi, Kebin; Meng, Sheng; Liu, Kaihui

    2017-12-26

    Van der Waals-coupled two-dimensional (2D) heterostructures have attracted great attention recently due to their high potential in the next-generation photodetectors and solar cells. The understanding of charge-transfer process between adjacent atomic layers is the key to design optimal devices as it directly determines the fundamental response speed and photon-electron conversion efficiency. However, general belief and theoretical studies have shown that the charge transfer behavior depends sensitively on interlayer configurations, which is difficult to control accurately, bringing great uncertainties in device designing. Here we investigate the ultrafast dynamics of interlayer charge transfer in a prototype heterostructure, the MoS 2 /WS 2 bilayer with various stacking configurations, by optical two-color ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy. Surprisingly, we found that the charge transfer is robust against varying interlayer twist angles and interlayer coupling strength, in time scale of ∼90 fs. Our observation, together with atomic-resolved transmission electron characterization and time-dependent density functional theory simulations, reveals that the robust ultrafast charge transfer is attributed to the heterogeneous interlayer stretching/sliding, which provides additional channels for efficient charge transfer previously unknown. Our results elucidate the origin of transfer rate robustness against interlayer stacking configurations in optical devices based on 2D heterostructures, facilitating their applications in ultrafast and high-efficient optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices in the near future.

  3. Coupled electron-nuclear dynamics: Charge migration and charge transfer initiated near a conical intersection

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mendive-Tapia, David; Vacher, Morgane; Bearpark, Michael J.

    Coupled electron-nuclear dynamics, implemented using the Ehrenfest method, has been used to study charge migration with fixed nuclei, together with charge transfer when nuclei are allowed to move. Simulations were initiated at reference geometries of neutral benzene and 2-phenylethylamine (PEA), and at geometries close to potential energy surface crossings in the cations. Cationic eigenstates, and the so-called sudden approximation, involving removal of an electron from a correlated ground-state wavefunction for the neutral species, were used as initial conditions. Charge migration without coupled nuclear motion could be observed if the Ehrenfest simulation, using the sudden approximation, was started near a conicalmore » intersection where the states were both strongly coupled and quasi-degenerate. Further, the main features associated with charge migration were still recognizable when the nuclear motion was allowed to couple. In the benzene radical cation, starting from the reference neutral geometry with the sudden approximation, one could observe sub-femtosecond charge migration with a small amplitude, which results from weak interaction with higher electronic states. However, we were able to engineer large amplitude charge migration, with a period between 10 and 100 fs, corresponding to oscillation of the electronic structure between the quinoid and anti-quinoid cationic electronic configurations, by distorting the geometry along the derivative coupling vector from the D{sub 6h} Jahn-Teller crossing to lower symmetry where the states are not degenerate. When the nuclear motion becomes coupled, the period changes only slightly. In PEA, in an Ehrenfest trajectory starting from the D{sub 2} eigenstate and reference geometry, a partial charge transfer occurs after about 12 fs near the first crossing between D{sub 1}, D{sub 2} (N{sup +}-Phenyl, N-Phenyl{sup +}). If the Ehrenfest propagation is started near this point, using the sudden approximation without

  4. Photoinduced charge-transfer electronic excitation of tetracyanoethylene/tetramethylethylene complex in dichloromethane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Long-Kun; Bi, Ting-Jun; Ming, Mei-Jun; Wang, Jing-Bo; Li, Xiang-Yuan

    2017-07-01

    Based on the previous work on nonequilibrium solvation model by the authors, Intermolecular charge-transfer electronic excitation of tetracyanoethylene (TCE)/tetramethylethylene (TME) π -stacked complex in dichloromethane (DCM) has been investigated. For weak interaction correction, dispersion corrected functional DFT-D3 is adopted for geometry optimization. In order to identify the excitation metric, dipole moment components of each Cartesian direction, atomic charge, charge separation and Δr index are analyzed for TCE/TME complex. Calculation shows that the calculated excitation energy is dependent on the functional choice, when conjuncted with suitable time-dependent density functional, the modified nonequilibrium expression gives satisfied results for intermolecular charge-transfer electronic excitation.

  5. Defect-Mediated Molecular Interaction and Charge Transfer in Graphene Mesh-Glucose Sensors.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Sun Sang; Shin, Jae Hyeok; Choi, Jonghyun; Nam, SungWoo; Park, Won Il

    2017-04-26

    We report the role of defects in enzymatic graphene field-effect transistor sensors by introducing engineered defects in graphene channels. Compared with conventional graphene sensors (Gr sensors), graphene mesh sensors (GM sensors), with an array of circular holes, initially exhibited a higher irreversible response to glucose, involving strong chemisorption to edge defects. However, after immobilization of glucose oxidase, the irreversibility of the responses was substantially diminished, without any reduction in the sensitivity of the GM sensors (i.e., -0.53 mV/mM for the GM sensor vs -0.37 mV/mM for Gr sensor). Furthermore, multiple cycle operation led to rapid sensing and improved the reversibility of GM sensors. In addition, control tests with sensors containing a linker showed that sensitivity was increased in Gr sensors but decreased in GM sensors. Our findings indicate that edge defects can be used to replace linkers for immobilization of glucose oxidase and improve charge transfer across glucose oxidase-graphene interfaces.

  6. Femtochemistry of Intramolecular Charge and Proton Transfer Reactions in Solution

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Douhal, Abderrazzak; Sanz, Mikel; Carranza, Maria Angeles

    2005-03-17

    We report on the first observation of ultrafast intramolecular charge- and proton-transfer reactions in 4'-dimethylaminoflavonol (DAMF) in solution. Upon femtosecond excitation of a non-planar structure of DMAF in apolar medium, the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) does not occur, and a slow (2 ps) proton motion takes place. However, in polar solvents, the ICT is very fast (100-200 fs) and the produced structure is stabilized that proton motion takes place in few or tens of ps.

  7. Measurement techniques and applications of charge transfer to aerospace research

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smith, A.

    1978-01-01

    A technique of developing high-velocity low-intensity neutral gas beams for use in aerospace research problems is described. This technique involves ionization of gaseous species with a mass spectrometer and focusing the resulting primary ion beam into a collision chamber containing a static gas at a known pressure and temperature. Equations are given to show how charge-transfer cross sections are obtained from a total-current measurement technique. Important parameters are defined for the charge-transfer process.

  8. Efficient Auger Charge-Transfer Processes in ZnO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stehr, J. E.; Chen, S. L.; Svensson, B. G.; Buyanova, I. A.; Chen, W. M.

    2018-05-01

    Photoluminescence and magneto-optical measurements are performed on a line peaking at 3.354 eV (labeled as NBX) in electron-irradiated ZnO. Even though the energy position of the NBX line is close to that for bound excitons in ZnO, it has distinctively different magneto-optical properties. Photoelectron paramagnetic resonance measurements reveal a connection and a charge-transfer process involving NBX and Fe and Al centers. The experimental results are explained within a model which assumes that the NBX is a neutral donor bound exciton at a defect center located near a Fe impurity and an Auger-type charge-transfer process occurs between NBX and Fe3 + . While the NBX dissociates, its hole is captured by an excited state of Fe3 + and the released energy is transferred to the NBX electron, which is excited to the conduction band and subsequently trapped by a substitutional AlZn shallow donor.

  9. Polyoxometalate active charge-transfer material for mediated redox flow battery

    DOEpatents

    Anderson, Travis Mark; Hudak, Nicholas; Staiger, Chad; Pratt, Harry

    2017-01-17

    Redox flow batteries including a half-cell electrode chamber coupled to a current collecting electrode are disclosed herein. In a general embodiment, a separator is coupled to the half-cell electrode chamber. The half-cell electrode chamber comprises a first redox-active mediator and a second redox-active mediator. The first redox-active mediator and the second redox-active mediator are circulated through the half-cell electrode chamber into an external container. The container includes an active charge-transfer material. The active charge-transfer material has a redox potential between a redox potential of the first redox-active mediator and a redox potential of the second redox-active mediator. The active charge-transfer material is a polyoxometalate or derivative thereof. The redox flow battery may be particularly useful in energy storage solutions for renewable energy sources and for providing sustained power to an electrical grid.

  10. Site energies and charge transfer rates near pentacene grain boundaries from first-principles calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kobayashi, Hajime; Tokita, Yuichi

    2015-03-01

    Charge transfer rates near pentacene grain boundaries are derived by calculating the site energies and transfer integrals of 37 pentacene molecules using first-principles calculations. The site energies decrease considerably near the grain boundaries, and electron traps of up to 300 meV and hole barriers of up to 400 meV are generated. The charge transfer rates across the grain boundaries are found to be reduced by three to five orders of magnitude with a grain boundary gap of 4 Å because of the reduction in the transfer integrals. The electron traps and hole barriers also reduce the electron and hole transfer rates by factors of up to 10 and 50, respectively. It is essential to take the site energies into consideration to determine charge transport near the grain boundaries. We show that the complex site energy distributions near the grain boundaries can be represented by an equivalent site energy difference, which is a constant for any charge transfer pass. When equivalent site energy differences are obtained for various grain boundary structures by first-principles calculations, the effects of the grain boundaries on the charge transfer rates are introduced exactly into charge transport simulations, such as the kinetic Monte Carlo method.

  11. Theory of electron transfer and molecular state in DNA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Endres, Robert Gunter

    2002-09-01

    In this thesis, a mechanism for long-range electron transfer in DNA and a systematic search for high conductance DNA are developed. DNA is well known for containing the genetic code of all living species. On the other hand, there are some experimental indications that DNA can mediate effectively long-range electron transfer leading to the concept of chemistry at a distance. This can be important for DNA damage and healing. In the first part of the thesis, a possible mechanism for long-range electron transfer is introduced. The weak distance dependent electron transfer was experimentally observed using transition metal intercalators for donor and acceptor. In our model calculations, the transfer is mediated by the molecular analogue of a Kondo bound state well known from solid state physics of mixed-valence rare-earth compounds. We believe this is quite realistic, since localized d orbitals of the transition metal ions could function as an Anderson impurity embedded in a reservoir of rather delocalized molecular orbitals of the intercalator ligands and DNA pi orbitals. The effective Anderson model is solved with a physically intuitive variational ansatz as well as with the essentially exact DMRG method. The electronic transition matrix element, which is important because it contains the donor-acceptor distance dependence, is obtained with the Mulliken-Hush algorithm as well as from Born-Oppenheimer potential energy surfaces. Our possible explanation of long-range electron transfer is put in context to other more conventional mechanisms which also could lead to similar behavior. Another important issue of DNA is its possible use for nano-technology. Although DNA's mechanical properties are excellent, the question whether it can be conducting and be used for nano-wires is highly controversial. Experimentally, DNA shows conducting, semi-conducting and insulating properties. Motivated by these wide ranging experimental results on the conductivity of DNA, we have

  12. The effect of charge transfer fluctuation on superconductivity in high temperature superconductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Yihsuan; Wu, Huan-Kuang; Lee, Ting-Kuo

    H i g h - Tc Cuprates have been studied quite often as an effective one band t - J model that neglects charge fluctuation between oxygen 2p6 band and copper 3d10 band, and Zhang-Rice singlet is just a hole in the model. However, recent Scanning Tunneling Spectra(STS) measurement on underdoped Cuprate shows that charge transfer gap is only of order 12 eV. This small gap necessitates a re-examination of the charge transfer fluctuation. Here we modify the t-J model by including charge transfer fluctuation allowing the formation of doubly occupied sites. For certain parameters it is similar with the t-J-U model. This model is studied via variational Monte Carlo method(VMC). Our result shows that this model can give a unified behavior of superconducting dome with different long rang hopping parameters. The anti-correlation between charge transfer gap and pairing is also confirmed. More interestingly the charge fluctuation is found to affect pairing order parameter in different ways in underdoped and overdoped regions. This work is partially supported by Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology with Grant. MOST 105-2112-M-001-008 and calculation was supported by a National Center of High Performance Computing in Taiwan.

  13. Proton-coupled electron transfer versus hydrogen atom transfer: generation of charge-localized diabatic states.

    PubMed

    Sirjoosingh, Andrew; Hammes-Schiffer, Sharon

    2011-03-24

    The distinction between proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mechanisms is important for the characterization of many chemical and biological processes. PCET and HAT mechanisms can be differentiated in terms of electronically nonadiabatic and adiabatic proton transfer, respectively. In this paper, quantitative diagnostics to evaluate the degree of electron-proton nonadiabaticity are presented. Moreover, the connection between the degree of electron-proton nonadiabaticity and the physical characteristics distinguishing PCET from HAT, namely, the extent of electronic charge redistribution, is clarified. In addition, a rigorous diabatization scheme for transforming the adiabatic electronic states into charge-localized diabatic states for PCET reactions is presented. These diabatic states are constructed to ensure that the first-order nonadiabatic couplings with respect to the one-dimensional transferring hydrogen coordinate vanish exactly. Application of these approaches to the phenoxyl-phenol and benzyl-toluene systems characterizes the former as PCET and the latter as HAT. The diabatic states generated for the phenoxyl-phenol system possess physically meaningful, localized electronic charge distributions that are relatively invariant along the hydrogen coordinate. These diabatic electronic states can be combined with the associated proton vibrational states to generate the reactant and product electron-proton vibronic states that form the basis of nonadiabatic PCET theories. Furthermore, these vibronic states and the corresponding vibronic couplings may be used to calculate rate constants and kinetic isotope effects of PCET reactions.

  14. Active pixel sensor with intra-pixel charge transfer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fossum, Eric R. (Inventor); Mendis, Sunetra (Inventor); Kemeny, Sabrina E. (Inventor)

    1995-01-01

    An imaging device formed as a monolithic complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit in an industry standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor process, the integrated circuit including a focal plane array of pixel cells, each one of the cells including a photogate overlying the substrate for accumulating photo-generated charge in an underlying portion of the substrate, a readout circuit including at least an output field effect transistor formed in the substrate, and a charge coupled device section formed on the substrate adjacent the photogate having a sensing node connected to the output transistor and at least one charge coupled device stage for transferring charge from the underlying portion of the substrate to the sensing node.

  15. Active pixel sensor with intra-pixel charge transfer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fossum, Eric R. (Inventor); Mendis, Sunetra (Inventor); Kemeny, Sabrina E. (Inventor)

    2003-01-01

    An imaging device formed as a monolithic complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit in an industry standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor process, the integrated circuit including a focal plane array of pixel cells, each one of the cells including a photogate overlying the substrate for accumulating photo-generated charge in an underlying portion of the substrate, a readout circuit including at least an output field effect transistor formed in the substrate, and a charge coupled device section formed on the substrate adjacent the photogate having a sensing node connected to the output transistor and at least one charge coupled device stage for transferring charge from the underlying portion of the substrate to the sensing node.

  16. Active pixel sensor with intra-pixel charge transfer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fossum, Eric R. (Inventor); Mendis, Sunetra (Inventor); Kemeny, Sabrina E. (Inventor)

    2004-01-01

    An imaging device formed as a monolithic complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit in an industry standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor process, the integrated circuit including a focal plane array of pixel cells, each one of the cells including a photogate overlying the substrate for accumulating photo-generated charge in an underlying portion of the substrate, a readout circuit including at least an output field effect transistor formed in the substrate, and a charge coupled device section formed on the substrate adjacent the photogate having a sensing node connected to the output transistor and at least one charge coupled device stage for transferring charge from the underlying portion of the substrate to the sensing node.

  17. Optical and thermal charge-transfer processes occurring in a series of three-centered, cyanide-bridged intervalent charge-transfer complexes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pfennig, B.W.; Bocarsly, A.B.

    1992-01-09

    The mixed-valent compound (Pt(NH{sub 3}){sub 4}){sub 2}((NC){sub 5}Fe-CN-Pt(NH{sub 3}){sub 4}-NC-Fe(CN){sub 5} was used as the starting point for the synthesis and characterization of two series of trinuclear {open_quotes}M-Pt-M{close_quotes} compounds. The first group of complexes have the general formula Na{sub 2}(L(NC){sub 4}Fe-CN-Pt(NH{sub 3}){sub 4}-NC-Fe(CN){sub 4}L) (where the sixth coordination site on the terminal iron units has been varied using six different substituted pyridine or pyrazine ligands, L), and the secondary group of compounds have the general formula (Pt(NH){sub 3}){sub 4}){sub 2}((NC){sub 5}M-CN-Pt(NH{sub 3}){sub 4}-NC-M(CN){sub 5}) (where M = Fe, Ru, and Os). All of the compounds yielded an absorption spectrum containingmore » an intervalent charge-transfer (IT) band in the visible. Both series of complexes were modeled using Marcus-Hush theory to estimate the reorganization energies for the optical electron-transfer processes, electron-transfer rate constants, thermal-activation barriers, and the degrees of delocalization of these species. In addition, the kinetics of formation, photochemical decomposition, and a novel solvent-gated charge-transfer process are discussed. 26 refs., 10 figs., 4 tabs.« less

  18. Radiative transfer in molecular lines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Asensio Ramos, A.; Trujillo Bueno, J.; Cernicharo, J.

    2001-07-01

    The highly convergent iterative methods developed by Trujillo Bueno and Fabiani Bendicho (1995) for radiative transfer (RT) applications are generalized to spherical symmetry with velocity fields. These RT methods are based on Jacobi, Gauss-Seidel (GS), and SOR iteration and they form the basis of a new NLTE multilevel transfer code for atomic and molecular lines. The benchmark tests carried out so far are presented and discussed. The main aim is to develop a number of powerful RT tools for the theoretical interpretation of molecular spectra.

  19. Competing charge transfer pathways at the photosystem II-electrode interface

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Jenny Z.; Sokol, Katarzyna P.; Paul, Nicholas; Romero, Elisabet; van Grondelle, Rienk; Reisner, Erwin

    2016-01-01

    The integration of the water-oxidation enzyme, photosystem II (PSII), into electrodes allows the electrons extracted from water-oxidation to be harnessed for enzyme characterization and driving novel endergonic reactions. However, PSII continues to underperform in integrated photoelectrochemical systems despite extensive optimization efforts. Here, we performed protein-film photoelectrochemistry on spinach and Thermosynechococcus elongatus PSII, and identified a competing charge transfer pathway at the enzyme-electrode interface that short-circuits the known water-oxidation pathway: photo-induced O2 reduction occurring at the chlorophyll pigments. This undesirable pathway is promoted by the embedment of PSII in an electron-conducting matrix, a common strategy of enzyme immobilization. Anaerobicity helps to recover the PSII photoresponses, and unmasked the onset potentials relating to the QA/QB charge transfer process. These findings have imparted a fuller understanding of the charge transfer pathways within PSII and at photosystem-electrode interfaces, which will lead to more rational design of pigment-containing photoelectrodes in general. PMID:27723748

  20. Charge transfer of O3+ ions with atomic hydrogen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, J. G.; Stancil, P. C.; Turner, A. R.; Cooper, D. L.

    2003-01-01

    Charge transfer processes due to collisions of ground state O3+(2s22p 2P) ions with atomic hydrogen are investigated using the quantum-mechanical molecular-orbital close-coupling (MOCC) method. The MOCC calculations utilize ab initio adiabatic potentials and nonadiabatic radial and rotational coupling matrix elements obtained with the spin-coupled valence-bond approach. Total and state-selective cross sections and rate coefficients are presented. Comparison with existing experimental and theoretical data shows our results to be in better agreement with the measurements than the previous calculations, although problems with some of the state-selective measurements are noted. Our calculations demonstrate that rotational coupling is not important for the total cross section, but for state-selective cross sections, its relevance increases with energy. For the ratios of triplet to singlet cross sections, significant departures from a statistical value are found, generally in harmony with experiment.

  1. Charge exchange collisions of slow C6 + with atomic and molecular H

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saha, Bidhan C.; Guevara, Nicolais L.; Sabin, John R.; Deumens, Erik; Öhrn, Yngve

    2016-04-01

    Charge exchange in collisions of C6+ ions with H and H2 is investigated theoretically at projectile energies 0.1 < E < 10 keV/amu, using electron nuclear dynamics (END) - a semi-classical approximation which not only includes electron translation factors for avoiding spurious couplings but also employs full dynamical trajectories to treat nuclear motions. Both the total and partial cross sections are reported for the collision of C6+ ions with atomic and molecular hydrogen. A comparison with other theoretical and experimental results shows, in general good agreement except at very low energy, considered here. For H2, the one- and two-electron charge exchange cross sections are calculated and compared with other theoretical and experimental results. Small but non-negligible isotope effects are found at the lowest energy studied in the charge transfer of C6+ with H. In low energy region, it is observed that H2 has larger isotope effects than H atom due to the polarizability effect which is larger than the mass effect.

  2. Spectroscopic analysis and charge transfer interaction studies of 4-benzyloxy-2-nitroaniline insecticide: A density functional theoretical approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arul Dhas, D.; Hubert Joe, I.; Roy, S. D. D.; Balachandran, S.

    2015-01-01

    A widespread exploration on the intra-molecular charge transfer interaction through an efficient π-conjugated path from a strong electron-donor group (amino) to a strong electron-acceptor group (nitro) has been carried out using FTIR, FT-Raman, UV-Vis, fluorescence and NMR spectra on insecticide compound 4-benzyloxy-2-nitroaniline. Density functional theory method is used to determine optimized molecular geometry, harmonic vibrational wavenumbers and intensities using 6-311G(d,p) basis set by means of Gaussian 09W program suit. A comprehensive investigation on the sp2 to sp3 hybridization and non-planarity property has been performed. Natural bond orbital analysis is used to study the existence of C-H⋯O, N-H⋯O and C-H⋯π proper and improper hydrogen bonds. The HOMO and LUMO analysis reveals the possibility of charge transfer within the molecule. A complete assignment of the experimental absorption peaks in the ultraviolet region has also been performed. Isotropic chemical shifts of 13C, 1H, 15N and 18O NMR and nuclear spin-spin coupling constants have been computed using the gauge-invariant atomic orbital method. The biological activity of substituent amino and nitro groups are evident from the hydrogen bonds through which the target amino acids are linked to the drug as evidenced from molecular docking.

  3. Process techniques of charge transfer time reduction for high speed CMOS image sensors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhongxiang, Cao; Quanliang, Li; Ye, Han; Qi, Qin; Peng, Feng; Liyuan, Liu; Nanjian, Wu

    2014-11-01

    This paper proposes pixel process techniques to reduce the charge transfer time in high speed CMOS image sensors. These techniques increase the lateral conductivity of the photo-generated carriers in a pinned photodiode (PPD) and the voltage difference between the PPD and the floating diffusion (FD) node by controlling and optimizing the N doping concentration in the PPD and the threshold voltage of the reset transistor, respectively. The techniques shorten the charge transfer time from the PPD diode to the FD node effectively. The proposed process techniques do not need extra masks and do not cause harm to the fill factor. A sub array of 32 × 64 pixels was designed and implemented in the 0.18 μm CIS process with five implantation conditions splitting the N region in the PPD. The simulation and measured results demonstrate that the charge transfer time can be decreased by using the proposed techniques. Comparing the charge transfer time of the pixel with the different implantation conditions of the N region, the charge transfer time of 0.32 μs is achieved and 31% of image lag was reduced by using the proposed process techniques.

  4. Excited State Charge Transfer reaction with dual emission from 5-(4-dimethylamino-phenyl)-penta-2,4-dienenitrile: Spectral measurement and theoretical density functional theory calculation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jana, Sankar; Dalapati, Sasanka; Ghosh, Shalini; Kar, Samiran; Guchhait, Nikhil

    2011-07-01

    The excited state intramolecular charge transfer process in donor-chromophore-acceptor system 5-(4-dimethylamino-phenyl)-penta-2,4-dienenitrile (DMAPPDN) has been investigated by steady state absorption and emission spectroscopy in combination with Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. This flexible donor acceptor molecule DMAPPDN shows dual fluorescence corresponding to emission from locally excited and charge transfer state in polar solvent. Large solvatochromic emission shift, effect of variation of pH and HOMO-LUMO molecular orbital pictures support excited state intramolecular charge transfer process. The experimental findings have been correlated with the calculated structure and potential energy surfaces based on the Twisted Intramolecular Charge Transfer (TICT) model obtained at DFT level using B3LYP functional and 6-31+G( d, p) basis set. The theoretical potential energy surfaces for the excited states have been generated in vacuo and acetonitrile solvent using Time Dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT) and Time Dependent Density Functional Theory Polarized Continuum Model (TDDFT-PCM) method, respectively. All the theoretical results show well agreement with the experimental observations.

  5. Delocalization Drives Free Charge Generation in Conjugated Polymer Films

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pace, Natalie A.; Reid, Obadiah G.; Rumbles, Garry

    We demonstrate that the product of photoinduced electron transfer between a conjugated polymer host and a dilute molecular sensitizer is controlled by the structural state of the polymer. Ordered semicrystalline solids exhibit free charge generation, while disordered polymers in the melt phase do not. We use photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) measurements to sweep through polymer melt transitions in situ. Free charge generation measured by TRMC turns off upon melting, whereas PL quenching of the molecular sensitizers remains constant, implying unchanged electron transfer efficiency. The key difference is the intermolecular order of the polymer host in the solidmore » state compared to the melt. We propose that this order-disorder transition modulates the localization length of the initial charge-transfer state, which controls the probability of free charge formation.« less

  6. Delocalization Drives Free Charge Generation in Conjugated Polymer Films

    DOE PAGES

    Pace, Natalie A.; Reid, Obadiah G.; Rumbles, Garry

    2018-02-19

    We demonstrate that the product of photoinduced electron transfer between a conjugated polymer host and a dilute molecular sensitizer is controlled by the structural state of the polymer. Ordered semicrystalline solids exhibit free charge generation, while disordered polymers in the melt phase do not. We use photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) measurements to sweep through polymer melt transitions in situ. Free charge generation measured by TRMC turns off upon melting, whereas PL quenching of the molecular sensitizers remains constant, implying unchanged electron transfer efficiency. The key difference is the intermolecular order of the polymer host in the solidmore » state compared to the melt. We propose that this order-disorder transition modulates the localization length of the initial charge-transfer state, which controls the probability of free charge formation.« less

  7. Charge transfer in photorefractive CdTe:Ge at different wavelengths

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shcherbin, K.; Odoulov, S.; Ramaz, F.; Farid, B.; Briat, B.; von Bardeleben, H. J.; Delaye, P.; Roosen, G.

    2001-10-01

    The charge transfer processes in photorefractive CdTe:Ge were modeled using the data of optical absorption, magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies. Within the developed model the variations in the photorefractive properties of different CdTe:Ge samples are explained by differences in the relative concentrations of donor and trap centers. The existence of two different centers of comparable concentrations, each in two charge states, allows charge redistribution between them and gives rise to optical sensitization of some CdTe:Ge samples for photorefractive recording under an auxiliary illumination. In the present article we follow the proposal of pseudo-3D presentation of light-induced absorption to distinguish the main charge transfer processes at different excitation energies and explain the sensitization of CdTe:Ge for photorefractive recording at 1.06, 1.32 and 1.55 μm by light with appropriate wavelength.

  8. Laboratory Studies of Thermal Energy Charge Transfer of Silicon and Iron Ions in Astrophysical Plasmas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kwong, Victor H. S.

    1996-01-01

    Charge transfer at electron-volt energies between multiply charged atomic ions and neutral atoms and molecules is of considerable importance in astrophysics, plasma physics, and in particular, fusion plasmas. In the year covered by this report, several major tasks were completed. These include: (1) the re-calibration of the ion gauge to measure the absolute particle densities of H2, He, N2, and CO for our current measurements; (2) the analysis of data for charge transfer reactions of N(exp 2 plus) ion and He, H2, N2, and CO; (3) measurement and data analysis of the charge transfer reaction of (Fe(exp 2 plus) ion and H2; (4) charge transfer measurement of Fe(exp 2 plus) ion and H2; and (5) redesign and modification of the ion detection and data acquisition system for the low energy beam facility (reflection time of flight mass spectrometer) dedicated to the study of state select charge transfer.

  9. Formation and fragmentation of quadruply charged molecular ions by intense femtosecond laser pulses.

    PubMed

    Yatsuhashi, Tomoyuki; Nakashima, Nobuaki

    2010-07-22

    We investigated the formation and fragmentation of multiply charged molecular ions of several aromatic molecules by intense nonresonant femtosecond laser pulses of 1.4 mum with a 130 fs pulse duration (up to 2 x 10(14) W cm(-2)). Quadruply charged states were produced for 2,3-benzofluorene and triphenylene molecular ion in large abundance, whereas naphthalene and 1,1'-binaphthyl resulted only in up to triply charged molecular ions. The laser wavelength was nonresonant with regard to the electronic transitions of the neutral molecules, and the degree of fragmentation was strongly correlated with the absorption of the singly charged cation radical. Little fragmentation was observed for naphthalene (off-resonant with cation), whereas heavy fragmentation was observed in the case of 1,1'-binaphthyl (resonant with cation). The degree of H(2) (2H) and 2H(2) (4H) elimination from molecular ions increased as the charge states increased in all the molecules examined. A striking difference was found between triply and quadruply charged 2,3-benzofluorene: significant suppression of molecular ions with loss of odd number of hydrogen was observed in the quadruply charged ions. The Coulomb explosion of protons in the quadruply charged state and succeeding fragmentation resulted in the formation of triply charged molecular ions with an odd number of hydrogens. The hydrogen elimination mechanism in the highly charged state is discussed.

  10. The study of surface acoustic wave charge transfer device

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Papanicolaou, N.; Lin, H. C.

    1978-01-01

    A surface acoustic wave-charge transfer device, consisting of an n-type silicon substrate, a thermally grown silicon dioxide layer, and a sputtered film of piezoelectric zinc oxide is proposed as a means of circumventing problems associated with charge-coupled device (CCD) applications in memory, signal processing, and imaging. The proposed device creates traveling longitudinal electric fields in the silicon and replaces the multiphase clocks in CCD's. The traveling electric fields create potential wells which carry along charges stored there. These charges may be injected into the wells by light or by using a p-n junction as in conventional CCD's.

  11. Femtosecond stimulated Raman evidence for charge-transfer character in pentacene singlet fission.

    PubMed

    Hart, Stephanie M; Silva, W Ruchira; Frontiera, Renee R

    2018-02-07

    Singlet fission is a spin-allowed process in which an excited singlet state evolves into two triplet states. We use femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy, an ultrafast vibrational technique, to follow the molecular structural evolution during singlet fission in order to determine the mechanism of this process. In crystalline pentacene, we observe the formation of an intermediate characterized by pairs of excited state peaks that are red- and blue-shifted relative to the ground state features. We hypothesize that these features arise from the formation of cationic and anionic species due to partial transfer of electron density from one pentacene molecule to a neighboring molecule. These observations provide experimental evidence for the role of states with significant charge-transfer character which facilitate the singlet fission process in pentacene. Our work both provides new insight into the singlet fission mechanism in pentacene and demonstrates the utility of structurally-sensitive time-resolved spectroscopic techniques in monitoring ultrafast processes.

  12. Modeling the Partial Atomic Charges in Inorganometallic Molecules and Solids and Charge Redistribution in Lithium-Ion Cathodes

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Bo; Li, Shaohong L.; Truhlar, Donald G.

    2014-10-30

    Partial atomic charges are widely used for the description of charge distributions of molecules and solids. These charges are useful to indicate the extent of charge transfer and charge flow during chemical reactions in batteries, fuel cells, and catalysts and to characterize charge distributions in capacitors, liquid-phase electrolytes, and solids and at electrochemical interfaces. However, partial atomic charges given by various charge models differ significantly, especially for systems containing metal atoms. In the present study, we have compared various charge models on both molecular systems and extended systems, including Hirshfeld, CM5, MK, ChElPG, Mulliken, MBS, NPA, DDEC, LoProp, and Badermore » charges. Their merits and drawbacks are compared. The CM5 charge model is found to perform well on the molecular systems, with a mean unsigned percentage deviation of only 9% for the dipole moments. We therefore formulated it for extended systems and applied it to study charge flow during the delithiation process in lithium-containing oxides used as cathodes. Our calculations show that the charges given by the CM5 charge model are reasonable and that during the delithiation process, the charge flow can occur not only on the transition metal but also on the anions. The oxygen atoms can lose a significant density of electrons, especially for deeply delithiated materials. We also discuss other methods in current use to analyze the charge transfer and charge flow in batteries, in particular the use of formal charge, spin density, and orbital occupancy. Here, we conclude that CM5 charges provide useful information in describing charge distributions in various materials and are very promising for the study of charge transfer and charge flows in both molecules and solids.« less

  13. Modeling the Partial Atomic Charges in Inorganometallic Molecules and Solids and Charge Redistribution in Lithium-Ion Cathodes.

    PubMed

    Wang, Bo; Li, Shaohong L; Truhlar, Donald G

    2014-12-09

    Partial atomic charges are widely used for the description of charge distributions of molecules and solids. These charges are useful to indicate the extent of charge transfer and charge flow during chemical reactions in batteries, fuel cells, and catalysts and to characterize charge distributions in capacitors, liquid-phase electrolytes, and solids and at electrochemical interfaces. However, partial atomic charges given by various charge models differ significantly, especially for systems containing metal atoms. In the present study, we have compared various charge models on both molecular systems and extended systems, including Hirshfeld, CM5, MK, ChElPG, Mulliken, MBS, NPA, DDEC, LoProp, and Bader charges. Their merits and drawbacks are compared. The CM5 charge model is found to perform well on the molecular systems, with a mean unsigned percentage deviation of only 9% for the dipole moments. We therefore formulated it for extended systems and applied it to study charge flow during the delithiation process in lithium-containing oxides used as cathodes. Our calculations show that the charges given by the CM5 charge model are reasonable and that during the delithiation process, the charge flow can occur not only on the transition metal but also on the anions. The oxygen atoms can lose a significant density of electrons, especially for deeply delithiated materials. We also discuss other methods in current use to analyze the charge transfer and charge flow in batteries, in particular the use of formal charge, spin density, and orbital occupancy. We conclude that CM5 charges provide useful information in describing charge distributions in various materials and are very promising for the study of charge transfer and charge flows in both molecules and solids.

  14. Review on charge transfer and chemical activity of TiO2: Mechanism and applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cai, Yongqing; Feng, Yuan Ping

    2016-12-01

    Charge separation and transfer at the interface between two materials play a significant role in various atomic-scale processes and energy conversion systems. In this review, we present the mechanism and outcome of charge transfer in TiO2, which is extensively explored for photocatalytic applications in the field of environmental science. We list several experimental and computational methods to estimate the amount of charge transfer. The effects of the work function, defects and doping, and employment of external electric field on modulating the charge transfer are presented. The interplay between the band bending and carrier transport across the surface and interface consisting of TiO2 is discussed. We show that the charge transfer can also strongly affect the behavior of deposited nanoparticles on TiO2 through built-in electric field that it creates. This review encompasses several advances of composite materials where TiO2 is combined with two-dimensional materials like graphene, MoS2, phosphorene, etc. The charge transport in the TiO2-organohalide perovskite with respect to the electron-hole separation at the interface is also discussed.

  15. Low-energy charge transfer for collisions of Si3+ with atomic hydrogen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bruhns, H.; Kreckel, H.; Savin, D. W.; Seely, D. G.; Havener, C. C.

    2008-06-01

    Cross sections of charge transfer for Si3+ ions with atomic hydrogen at collision energies of ≈40-2500eV/u were carried out using a merged-beam technique at the Multicharged Ion Research Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The data span an energy range in which both molecular orbital close coupling (MOCC) and classical trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) calculations are available. The influence of quantum mechanical effects of the ionic core as predicted by MOCC is clearly seen in our results. However, discrepancies between our experiment and MOCC results toward higher collision energies are observed. At energies above 1000 eV/u good agreement is found with CTMC results.

  16. Electron Transfer Dissociation: Effects of Cation Charge State on Product Partitioning in Ion/Ion Electron Transfer to Multiply Protonated Polypeptides

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Jian; McLuckey, Scott A.

    2012-01-01

    The effect of cation charge state on product partitioning in the gas-phase ion/ion electron transfer reactions of multiply protonated tryptic peptides, model peptides, and relatively large peptides with singly charged radical anions has been examined. In particular, partitioning into various competing channels, such as proton transfer (PT) versus electron transfer (ET), electron transfer with subsequent dissociation (ETD) versus electron transfer with no dissociation (ET,noD), and fragmentation of backbone bonds versus fragmentation of side chains, was measured quantitatively as a function of peptide charge state to allow insights to be drawn about the fundamental aspects of ion/ion reactions that lead to ETD. The ET channel increases relative to the PT channel, ETD increases relative to ET,noD, and fragmentation at backbone bonds increases relative to side-chain cleavages as cation charge state increases. The increase in ET versus PT with charge state is consistent with a Landau-Zener based curve-crossing model. An optimum charge state for ET is predicted by the model for the ground state-to-ground state reaction. However, when the population of excited product ion states is considered, it is possible that a decrease in ET efficiency as charge state increases will not be observed due to the possibility of the population of excited electronic states of the products. Several factors can contribute to the increase in ETD versus ET,noD and backbone cleavage versus side-chain losses. These factors include an increase in reaction exothermicity and charge state dependent differences in precursor and product ion structures, stabilities, and sites of protonation. PMID:23264749

  17. Interlayer‐State‐Coupling Dependent Ultrafast Charge Transfer in MoS2/WS2 Bilayers

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Jin; Hong, Hao; Lian, Chao; Ma, Wei; Xu, Xiaozhi; Zhou, Xu; Fu, Huixia

    2017-01-01

    Light‐induced interlayer ultrafast charge transfer in 2D heterostructures provides a new platform for optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications. The charge separation process is generally hypothesized to be dependent on the interlayer stackings and interactions, however, the quantitative characteristic and detailed mechanism remain elusive. Here, a systematical study on the interlayer charge transfer in model MoS2/WS2 bilayer system with variable stacking configurations by time‐dependent density functional theory methods is demonstrated. The results show that the slight change of interlayer geometry can significantly modulate the charge transfer time from 100 fs to 1 ps scale. Detailed analysis further reveals that the transfer rate in MoS2/WS2 bilayers is governed by the electronic coupling between specific interlayer states, rather than the interlayer distances, and follows a universal dependence on the state‐coupling strength. The results establish the interlayer stacking as an effective freedom to control ultrafast charge transfer dynamics in 2D heterostructures and facilitate their future applications in optoelectronics and light harvesting. PMID:28932669

  18. Charge-transfer state and large first hyperpolarizability constant in a highly electronically coupled zinc and gold porphyrin dyad.

    PubMed

    Fortage, Jérôme; Scarpaci, Annabelle; Viau, Lydie; Pellegrin, Yann; Blart, Errol; Falkenström, Magnus; Hammarström, Leif; Asselberghs, Inge; Kellens, Ruben; Libaers, Wim; Clays, Koen; Eng, Mattias P; Odobel, Fabrice

    2009-09-14

    We report the synthesis and the characterizations of a novel dyad composed of a zinc porphyrin (ZnP) linked to a gold porphyrin (AuP) through an ethynyl spacer. The UV/Vis absorption spectrum and the electrochemical properties clearly reveal that this dyad exhibits a strong electronic coupling in the ground state as evidenced by shifted redox potentials and the appearance of an intense charge-transfer band localized at lambda = 739 nm in dichloromethane. A spectroelectrochemical study of the dyad along with the parent homometallic system (i.e., ZnP-ZnP and AuP-AuP) was undertaken to determine the spectra of the reduced and oxidized porphyrin units. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopic analysis showed that the photoexcitation of the heterometallic dyad leads to an ultrafast formation of a charge-separated state ((+)ZnP-AuP(*)) that displays a particularly long lifetime (tau = 4 ns in toluene) for such a short separation distance. The molecular orbitals of the dyad were determined by DFT quantum-chemical calculations. This theoretical study confirms that the observed intense band at lambda = 739 nm corresponds to an interporphyrin charge-transfer transition from the HOMO orbital localized on the zinc porphyrin to LUMO orbitals localized on the gold porphyrin. Finally, a Hyper-Rayleigh scattering study shows that the dyad possesses a large first molecular hyperpolarizability coefficient (beta = 2100x10(-30) esu at lambda = 1064 nm), thus highlighting the valuable nonlinear optical properties of this new type of push-pull porphyrin system.

  19. CHARGE-TRANSFER ASSOCIATION AND PARAMAGNETISM OF SOME ORGANIC SYSTEMS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Eastman, J W

    When p-xylene was combined with chloranil in n-heptane, charge-transfer optical absorption was observed. The magnitude of this absorption was used to calculate an equilibrium constant for the formation of a donor-acceptor complex containing one p-xylene was combined with carbon tetrabromide and with carbon tetrachloride in n-heptane, no charge-transfer absorption was observed. Reactions of N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPD) with chloranil (pQCl/ sub 4/) were observed in ethylene dichloride and acetonitrile. In both solvents adduct formation occurred initially, as observed by its charge-transfer absorption. In acetonitrile time-dependent electron spin resonance (ESR) absorption was observed, and it was identified with the positive and negative radicalmore » ions of TMPD and pQCl/sub 4/, respectively. In this case a completely ionized electron transfer had occurred. Chloranil and other quinones were found to react with N,N-dimethylaniline forming a crystal violet salt. The diamagnetic donor-acceptor complexes and also semiquinone radicals are intermediates which were observed. Some physical measurements of the kinetics of this reaction are described and correlated. When fluoranil was allowed to react with dimethylaniline, the hyperfine splitting by the fluorine atoms of the fluoranil radical was not resolved. Characteristics of the ESR absorption by this radical in dimethylaniline are discussed in terms of an electron transfer between the semiquinone and quinone, and between the semiquinone and hydroquinone ion. Paramagnetism was discovered in hydrocarbon-quinone solids. ESR absorption was assigned to imperfections in the solid which was normally diamagnetic. The preparation of these solids and some of their physical characteristics are described. (auth)« less

  20. Columnar mesophases of hexabenzocoronene derivatives. II. Charge carrier mobility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kirkpatrick, James; Marcon, Valentina; Kremer, Kurt; Nelson, Jenny; Andrienko, Denis

    2008-09-01

    Combining atomistic molecular dynamic simulations, Marcus-Hush theory description of charge transport rates, and master equation description of charge dynamics, we correlate the temperature-driven change of the mesophase structure with the change of charge carrier mobilities in columnar phases of hexabenzocoronene derivatives. The time dependence of fluctuations in transfer integrals shows that static disorder is predominant in determining charge transport characteristics. Both site energies and transfer integrals are distributed because of disorder in the molecular arrangement. It is shown that the contributions to the site energies from polarization and electrostatic effects are of opposite sign for positive charges. We look at three mesophases of hexabenzocoronene: herringbone, discotic, and columnar disordered. All results are compared to time resolved microwave conductivity data and show excellent agreement with no fitting parameters.

  1. Columnar mesophases of hexabenzocoronene derivatives. II. Charge carrier mobility.

    PubMed

    Kirkpatrick, James; Marcon, Valentina; Kremer, Kurt; Nelson, Jenny; Andrienko, Denis

    2008-09-07

    Combining atomistic molecular dynamic simulations, Marcus-Hush theory description of charge transport rates, and master equation description of charge dynamics, we correlate the temperature-driven change of the mesophase structure with the change of charge carrier mobilities in columnar phases of hexabenzocoronene derivatives. The time dependence of fluctuations in transfer integrals shows that static disorder is predominant in determining charge transport characteristics. Both site energies and transfer integrals are distributed because of disorder in the molecular arrangement. It is shown that the contributions to the site energies from polarization and electrostatic effects are of opposite sign for positive charges. We look at three mesophases of hexabenzocoronene: herringbone, discotic, and columnar disordered. All results are compared to time resolved microwave conductivity data and show excellent agreement with no fitting parameters.

  2. Engineering and Probing Topological Properties of Dirac Semimetal Films by Asymmetric Charge Transfer.

    PubMed

    Villanova, John W; Barnes, Edwin; Park, Kyungwha

    2017-02-08

    Dirac semimetals (DSMs) have topologically robust three-dimensional Dirac (doubled Weyl) nodes with Fermi-arc states. In heterostructures involving DSMs, charge transfer occurs at the interfaces, which can be used to probe and control their bulk and surface topological properties through surface-bulk connectivity. Here we demonstrate that despite a band gap in DSM films, asymmetric charge transfer at the surface enables one to accurately identify locations of the Dirac-node projections from gapless band crossings and to examine and engineer properties of the topological Fermi-arc surface states connecting the projections, by simulating adatom-adsorbed DSM films using a first-principles method with an effective model. The positions of the Dirac-node projections are insensitive to charge transfer amount or slab thickness except for extremely thin films. By varying the amount of charge transfer, unique spin textures near the projections and a separation between the Fermi-arc states change, which can be observed by gating without adatoms.

  3. Pressure-induced emission band separation of the hybridized local and charge transfer excited state in a TPE-based crystal.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xuedan; Li, Aisen; Xu, Weiqing; Ma, Zhiyong; Jia, Xinru

    2018-05-08

    We herein report a newly synthesized simple molecule, named TPE[double bond, length as m-dash]C4, with twisted D-A structure. TPE[double bond, length as m-dash]C4 showed two intrinsic emission bands ascribed to the locally excited (LE) state and the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state, respectively. In the crystal state, the LE emission band is usually observed. However, by applying hydrostatic pressure to the powder sample and the single crystal sample of TPE[double bond, length as m-dash]C4, dual-fluorescence (445 nm and 532 nm) was emerged under high pressure, owing to the pressure-induced emission band separation of the hybridized local and charge transfer excited state (HLCT). It is found that the emission of TPE[double bond, length as m-dash]C4 is generally determined by the ratio of the LE state to the ICT state. The ICT emission band is much more sensitive to the external pressure than the LE emission band. The HLCT state leads to a sample with different responsiveness to grinding and hydrostatic pressure. This study is of significance in the molecular design of such D-A type molecules and in the control of photoluminescence features by molecular structure. Such results are expected to pave a new way to further understand the relationship between the D-A molecular structure and stimuli-responsive properties.

  4. Ultrafast electron transfer at organic semiconductor interfaces: Importance of molecular orientation

    DOE PAGES

    Ayzner, Alexander L.; Nordlund, Dennis; Kim, Do -Hwan; ...

    2014-12-04

    Much is known about the rate of photoexcited charge generation in at organic donor/acceptor (D/A) heterojunctions overaged over all relative arrangements. However, there has been very little experimental work investigating how the photoexcited electron transfer (ET) rate depends on the precise relative molecular orientation between D and A in thin solid films. This is the question that we address in this work. We find that the ET rate depends strongly on the relative molecular arrangement: The interface where the model donor compound copper phthalocyanine is oriented face-on with respect to the fullerene C 60 acceptor yields a rate that ismore » approximately 4 times faster than that of the edge-on oriented interface. Our results suggest that the D/A electronic coupling is significantly enhanced in the face-on case, which agrees well with theoretical predictions, underscoring the importance of controlling the relative interfacial molecular orientation.« less

  5. Theoretical Investigation of Charge Transfer in Metal Organic Frameworks for Electrochemical Device Applications

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Patwardhan, Sameer; Schatz, George C.

    For electrochemical device applications metal organic frameworks (MOFs) must exhibit suitable conduction properties. To this end, we have performed computational studies of intermolecular charge transfer in MOFs consisting of hexa-ZrIV nodes and tetratopic carboxylate linkers. This includes an examination of the electronic structure of linkers that are derived from tetraphenyl benzene 1, tetraphenyl pyrene 2, and tetraphenyl porphyrin 3 molecules. These results are used to determine charge transfer propensities in MOFs, within the framework of Marcus theory, including an analysis of the key parameters (charge transfer integral t, reorganization energy λ, and free energy change ΔG0) and evaluation of figuresmore » of merit for charge transfer based on the chemical structures of the linkers. This qualitative analysis indicates that delocalization of the HOMO/LUMO on terminal substituents increases t and decreases λ, while weaker binding to counterions decreases ΔG0, leading to better charge transfer propensity. Subsequently, we study hole transfer in the linker 2 containing MOFs, NU-901 and NU-1000, in detail and describe mechanisms (hopping and superexchange) that may be operative under different electrochemical conditions. Comparisons with experiment are provided where available. On the basis of the redox and catalytic activity of nodes and linkers, we propose three possible schemes for constructing electrochemical devices for catalysis. We believe that the results of this study will lay the foundation for future experimental work on this topic.« less

  6. Final Technical Report for the Energy Frontier Research Center Understanding Charge Separation and Transfer at Interfaces in Energy Materials (EFRC:CST)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Vanden Bout, David A.

    2015-09-14

    Our EFRC was founded with the vision of creating a broadly collaborative and synergistic program that would lead to major breakthroughs in the molecular-level understanding of the critical interfacial charge separation and charge transfer (CST) processes that underpin the function of candidate materials for organic photovoltaic (OPV) and electrical-energy-storage (EES) applications. Research in these energy contexts shares an imposing challenge: How can we understand charge separation and transfer mechanisms in the presence of immense materials complexity that spans multiple length scales? To address this challenge, our 50-member Center undertook a total of 28 coordinated research projects aimed at unraveling themore » CST mechanisms that occur at interfaces in these nanostructured materials. This rigorous multi-year study of CST interfaces has greatly illuminated our understanding of early-timescale processes (e.g., exciton generation and dissociation dynamics at OPV heterojunctions; control of Li+-ion charging kinetics by surface chemistry) occurring in the immediate vicinity of interfaces. Program outcomes included: training of 72 graduate student and postdoctoral energy researchers at 5 institutions and spanning 7 academic disciplines in science and engineering; publication of 94 peer-reviewed journal articles; and dissemination of research outcomes via 340 conference, poster and other presentations. Major scientific outcomes included: implementation of a hierarchical strategy for understanding the electronic communication mechanisms and ultimate fate of charge carriers in bulk heterojunction OPV materials; systematic investigation of ion-coupled electron transfer processes in model Li-ion battery electrode/electrolyte systems; and the development and implementation of 14 unique technologies and instrumentation capabilities to aid in probing sub-ensemble charge separation and transfer mechanisms.« less

  7. Single Molecule Spectroelectrochemistry of Interfacial Charge Transfer Dynamics In Hybrid Organic Solar Cell

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pan, Shanlin

    2014-11-16

    Our research under support of this DOE grant is focused on applied and fundamental aspects of model organic solar cell systems. Major accomplishments are: 1) we developed a spectroelectorchemistry technique of single molecule single nanoparticle method to study charge transfer between conjugated polymers and semiconductor at the single molecule level. The fluorescence of individual fluorescent polymers at semiconductor surfaces was shown to exhibit blinking behavior compared to molecules on glass substrates. Single molecule fluorescence excitation anisotropy measurements showed the conformation of the polymer molecules did not differ appreciably between glass and semiconductor substrates. The similarities in molecular conformation suggest thatmore » the observed differences in blinking activity are due to charge transfer between fluorescent polymer and semiconductor, which provides additional pathways between states of high and low fluorescence quantum efficiency. Similar spectroelectrochemistry work has been done for small organic dyes for understand their charge transfer dynamics on various substrates and electrochemical environments; 2) We developed a method of transferring semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs) and graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets into organic solvent for a potential electron acceptor in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells which employed polymer semiconductor as the electron donor. Electron transfer from the polymer semiconductor to semiconductor and GO in solutions and thin films was established through fluorescence spectroscopy and electroluminescence measurements. Solar cells containing these materials were constructed and evaluated using transient absorption spectroscopy and dynamic fluorescence techniques to understand the charge carrier generation and recombination events; 3) We invented a spectroelectorchemistry technique using light scattering and electroluminescence for rapid size determination and studying electrochemistry of single

  8. Spectrophotometric and spectroscopic studies of charge transfer complex of 1-Naphthylamine as an electron donor with picric acid as an electron acceptor in different polar solvents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Neeti; Ahmad, Afaq

    2010-08-01

    The charge transfer complex of 1-Naphthylamine as a donor with π-acceptor picric acid has been studied spectrophotometrically in different solvents at room temperature. The results indicate that the formation of charge transfer complex is high in less polar solvent. The stoichiometry of the complex was found to be 1:1 by straight line method. The data are analysed in terms of formation constant ( KCT), molar extinction coefficient ( ɛCT), standard free energy (Δ G o), oscillator strength ( ƒ), transition dipole moment ( μ EN), resonance energy ( R N) and ionization potential ( I D). It is concluded that the formation constant ( KCT) of the complex is found to be depends upon the nature of both electron acceptor and donor and also on the polarity of solvents. Further the charge transfer molecular complex between picric acid and 1-Naphthylamine is stabilized by hydrogen bonding.

  9. Interfacial Charge Transfer States in Condensed Phase Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vandewal, Koen

    2016-05-01

    Intermolecular charge transfer (CT) states at the interface between electron-donating (D) and electron-accepting (A) materials in organic thin films are characterized by absorption and emission bands within the optical gap of the interfacing materials. CT states efficiently generate charge carriers for some D-A combinations, and others show high fluorescence quantum efficiencies. These properties are exploited in organic solar cells, photodetectors, and light-emitting diodes. This review summarizes experimental and theoretical work on the electronic structure and interfacial energy landscape at condensed matter D-A interfaces. Recent findings on photogeneration and recombination of free charge carriers via CT states are discussed, and relations between CT state properties and optoelectronic device parameters are clarified.

  10. Transfer RNA: a dancer between charging and mis-charging for protein biosynthesis.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xiaolong; Wang, Enduo

    2013-10-01

    Transfer RNA plays a fundamental role in the protein biosynthesis as an adaptor molecule by functioning as a biological link between the genetic nucleotide sequence in the mRNA and the amino acid sequence in the protein. To perform its role in protein biosynthesis, it has to be accurately recognized by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) to generate aminoacyl-tRNAs (aa-tRNAs). The correct pairing between an amino acid with its cognate tRNA is crucial for translational quality control. Production and utilization of mis-charged tRNAs are usually detrimental for all the species, resulting in cellular dysfunctions. Correct aa-tRNAs formation is collectively controlled by aaRSs with distinct mechanisms and/or other trans-factors. However, in very limited instances, mis-charged tRNAs are intermediate for specific pathways or essential components for the translational machinery. Here, from the point of accuracy in tRNA charging, we review our understanding about the mechanism ensuring correct aa-tRNA generation. In addition, some unique mis-charged tRNA species necessary for the organism are also briefly described.

  11. Charge transport through molecular rods with reduced pi-conjugation.

    PubMed

    Lörtscher, Emanuel; Elbing, Mark; Tschudy, Meinrad; von Hänisch, Carsten; Weber, Heiko B; Mayor, Marcel; Riel, Heike

    2008-10-24

    A series of oligophenylene rods of increasing lengths is synthesized to investigate the charge-transport mechanisms. Methyl groups are attached to the phenyl rings to weaken the electronic overlap of the pi-subsystems along the molecular backbones. Out-of-plane rotation of the phenyl rings is confirmed in the solid state by means of X-ray analysis and in solution by using UV/Vis spectroscopy. The influence of the reduced pi-conjugation on the resonant charge transport is studied at the single-molecule level by using the mechanically controllable break-junction technique. Experiments are performed under ultra-high-vacuum conditions at low temperature (50 K). A linear increase of the conductance gap with increasing number of phenyl rings (from 260 meV for one ring to 580 meV for four rings) is revealed. In addition, the absolute conductance of the first resonant peaks does not depend on the length of the molecular wire. Resonant transport through the first molecular orbital is found to be dominated by charge-carrier injection into the molecule, rather than by the intrinsic resistance of the molecular wire length.

  12. Intramolecular Charge Transfer of Conjugated Liquid Crystal Ferrocene Macromolecules - Synthesis and Characterization

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-04-12

    AFRL-AFOSR-CL-TR-2016-0012 Intramolecular Charge Transfer of Conjugated Liquid Crystal Ferrocene Macromolecules Ronald Ziolo CIQA Final Report 07/07...3. DATES COVERED (From - To)  15 Aug 2014 to 14 Jan 2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Intramolecular Charge Transfer of Conjugated Liquid Crystal Ferrocene...characterization of a new series of conjugated macromolecules bearing ferrocene as a highly efficient electron donor material coupled to 2,5-di(alcoxy) benzene

  13. Charge transfer during individual collisions in ice growing by riming

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Avila, Eldo E.; Caranti, Giorgio M.

    1991-01-01

    The charging of a target by riming in the wind was studied in the temperature range of (-10, -18 C). For each temperature, charge transfers of both signs are observed and, according to the environmental conditions, one of them prevails. The charge is more positive as the liquid water concentration is increased at any particular temperature. It is found that even at the low impact velocities used (5 m/s) there is abundant evidence of fragmentation following the collision.

  14. Charge transfer polarisation wave and carrier pairing in the high T(sub c) copper oxides

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chakraverty, B. K.

    1990-01-01

    The High T(sub c) oxides are highly polarizable materials and are charge transfer insulators. The charge transfer polarization wave formalism is developed in these oxides. The dispersion relationships due to long range dipole-dipole interaction of a charge transfer dipole lattice are obtained in 3-D and 2-D. These are high frequency bosons and their coupling with carriers is weak and antiadiabatic in nature. As a result, the mass renormalization of the carriers is negligible in complete contrast to conventional electron-phonon interaction, that give polarons and bipolarons. Both bound and superconducting pairing is discussed for a model Hamiltonian valid in the antiadiabatic regime, both in 3-D and 2-D. The stability of the charge transfer dipole lattice has interesting consequences that are discussed.

  15. Charge transfer kinetics at the solid-solid interface in porous electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bai, Peng; Bazant, Martin Z.

    2014-04-01

    Interfacial charge transfer is widely assumed to obey the Butler-Volmer kinetics. For certain liquid-solid interfaces, the Marcus-Hush-Chidsey theory is more accurate and predictive, but it has not been applied to porous electrodes. Here we report a simple method to extract the charge transfer rates in carbon-coated LiFePO4 porous electrodes from chronoamperometry experiments, obtaining curved Tafel plots that contradict the Butler-Volmer equation but fit the Marcus-Hush-Chidsey prediction over a range of temperatures. The fitted reorganization energy matches the Born solvation energy for electron transfer from carbon to the iron redox site. The kinetics are thus limited by electron transfer at the solid-solid (carbon-LixFePO4) interface rather than by ion transfer at the liquid-solid interface, as previously assumed. The proposed experimental method generalizes Chidsey’s method for phase-transforming particles and porous electrodes, and the results show the need to incorporate Marcus kinetics in modelling batteries and other electrochemical systems.

  16. Electronic structure and charge transfer excited states of endohedral fullerene containing electron donoracceptor complexes utilized in organic photovoltaics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amerikheirabadi, Fatemeh

    Organic Donor-Acceptor complexes form the main component of the organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs). The open circuit voltage of OPVs is directly related to the charge transfer excited state energies of these complexes. Currently a large number of different molecular complexes are being tested for their efficiency in photovoltaic devices. In this work, density functional theory as implemented in the NRLMOL code is used to investigate the electronic structure and related properties of these donor-acceptor complexes. The charge transfer excitation energies are calculated using the perturbative delta self-consistent field method recently developed in our group as the standard time dependent density functional approaches fail to accurately provide them. The model photovoltaics systems analyzed are as follows: Sc3N C 80--ZnTPP, Y3 N C80-- ZnTPP and Sc3 N C80-- ZnPc. In addition, a thorough analysis of the isolated donor and acceptor molecules is also provided. The studied acceptors are chosen from a class of fullerenes named trimetallic nitride endohedral fullerenes. These molecules have shown to possess advantages as acceptors such as long lifetimes of the charge-separated states.

  17. Topologically protected charge transfer along the edge of a chiral p -wave superconductor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gnezdilov, N. V.; van Heck, B.; Diez, M.; Hutasoit, Jimmy A.; Beenakker, C. W. J.

    2015-09-01

    The Majorana fermions propagating along the edge of a topological superconductor with px+i py pairing deliver a shot noise power of 1/2 ×e2/h per eV of voltage bias. We calculate the full counting statistics of the transferred charge and find that it becomes trinomial in the low-temperature limit, distinct from the binomial statistics of charge-e transfer in a single-mode nanowire or charge-2 e transfer through a normal-superconductor interface. All even-order correlators of current fluctuations have a universal quantized value, insensitive to disorder and decoherence. These electrical signatures are experimentally accessible, because they persist for temperatures and voltages large compared to the Thouless energy.

  18. Band Alignment and Charge Transfer in Complex Oxide Interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhong, Zhicheng; Hansmann, Philipp

    2017-01-01

    The synthesis of transition metal heterostructures is currently one of the most vivid fields in the design of novel functional materials. In this paper, we propose a simple scheme to predict band alignment and charge transfer in complex oxide interfaces. For semiconductor heterostructures, band-alignment rules like the well-known Anderson or Schottky-Mott rule are based on comparison of the work function or electron affinity of the bulk components. This scheme breaks down for oxides because of the invalidity of a single work-function approximation as recently shown in [Phys. Rev. B 93, 235116 (2016), 10.1103/PhysRevB.93.235116; Adv. Funct. Mater. 26, 5471 (2016), 10.1002/adfm.201600243]. Here, we propose a new scheme that is built on a continuity condition of valence states originating in the compounds' shared network of oxygen. It allows for the prediction of sign and relative amplitude of the intrinsic charge transfer, taking as input only information about the bulk properties of the components. We support our claims by numerical density functional theory simulations as well as (where available) experimental evidence. Specific applications include (i) controlled doping of SrTiO3 layers with the use of 4 d and 5 d transition metal oxides and (ii) the control of magnetic ordering in manganites through tuned charge transfer.

  19. Calculation of rates of exciton dissociation into hot charge-transfer states in model organic photovoltaic interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vázquez, Héctor; Troisi, Alessandro

    2013-11-01

    We investigate the process of exciton dissociation in ordered and disordered model donor/acceptor systems and describe a method to calculate exciton dissociation rates. We consider a one-dimensional system with Frenkel states in the donor material and states where charge transfer has taken place between donor and acceptor. We introduce a Green's function approach to calculate the generation rates of charge-transfer states. For disorder in the Frenkel states we find a clear exponential dependence of charge dissociation rates with exciton-interface distance, with a distance decay constant β that increases linearly with the amount of disorder. Disorder in the parameters that describe (final) charge-transfer states has little effect on the rates. Exciton dissociation invariably leads to partially separated charges. In all cases final states are “hot” charge-transfer states, with electron and hole located far from the interface.

  20. Hyperbolic metamaterial nanostructures to tune charge-transfer dynamics (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Kwang Jin; Xiao, Yiming; Woo, Jae Heun; Kim, Eun Sun; Kreher, David; Attias, André-Jean; Mathevet, Fabrice; Ribierre, Jean-Charles; Wu, Jeong Weon; André, Pascal

    2016-09-01

    Charge transfer (CT) is an essential phenomenon relevant to numerous fields including biology, physics and chemistry.1-5 Here, we demonstrate that multi-layered hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM) substrates alter organic semiconductor CT dynamics.6 With triphenylene:perylene diimide dyad supramolecular self-assemblies prepared on HMM substrates, we show that both charge separation (CS) and charge recombination (CR) characteristic times are increased by factors of 2.5 and 1.6, respectively, resulting in longer-lived CT states. We successfully rationalize the experimental data by extending Marcus theory framework with dipole image interactions tuning the driving force. The number of metal-dielectric pairs alters the HMM interfacial effective dielectric constant and becomes a solid analogue to solvent polarizability. Based on the experimental results and extended Marcus theory framework, we find that CS and CR processes are located in normal and inverted regions on Marcus parabola diagram, respectively. The model and further PH3T:PCBM data show that the phenomenon is general and that molecular and substrate engineering offer a wide range of kinetic tailoring opportunities. This work opens the path toward novel artificial substrates designed to control CT dynamics with potential applications in fields including optoelectronics, organic solar cells and chemistry. 1. Marcus, Rev. Mod. Phys., 1993, 65, 599. 2. Marcus, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2012, 14, 13729. 3. Lambert, et al., Nat. Phys., 2012, 9, 10. 4. C. Clavero, Nat. Photon., 2014, 8, 95. 5. A. Canaguier-Durand, et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2013, 52, 10533. 6. K. J. Lee, et al., Submitted, 2015, arxiv.org/abs/1510.08574.

  1. Molecular approaches to solar energy conversion: the energetic cost of charge separation from molecular-excited states.

    PubMed

    Durrant, James R

    2013-08-13

    This review starts with a brief overview of the technological potential of molecular-based solar cell technologies. It then goes on to focus on the core scientific challenge associated with using molecular light-absorbing materials for solar energy conversion, namely the separation of short-lived, molecular-excited states into sufficiently long-lived, energetic, separated charges capable of generating an external photocurrent. Comparisons are made between different molecular-based solar cell technologies, with particular focus on the function of dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical solar cells as well as parallels with the function of photosynthetic reaction centres. The core theme of this review is that generating charge carriers with sufficient lifetime and a high quantum yield from molecular-excited states comes at a significant energetic cost-such that the energy stored in these charge-separated states is typically substantially less than the energy of the initially generated excited state. The role of this energetic loss in limiting the efficiency of solar energy conversion by such devices is emphasized, and strategies to minimize this energy loss are compared and contrasted.

  2. Hybridization-controlled charge transfer and induced magnetism at correlated oxide interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grisolia, M. N.; Varignon, J.; Sanchez-Santolino, G.; Arora, A.; Valencia, S.; Varela, M.; Abrudan, R.; Weschke, E.; Schierle, E.; Rault, J. E.; Rueff, J.-P.; Barthélémy, A.; Santamaria, J.; Bibes, M.

    2016-05-01

    At interfaces between conventional materials, band bending and alignment are classically controlled by differences in electrochemical potential. Applying this concept to oxides in which interfaces can be polar and cations may adopt a mixed valence has led to the discovery of novel two-dimensional states between simple band insulators such as LaAlO3 and SrTiO3. However, many oxides have a more complex electronic structure, with charge, orbital and/or spin orders arising from strong Coulomb interactions at and between transition metal and oxygen ions. Such electronic correlations offer a rich playground to engineer functional interfaces but their compatibility with the classical band alignment picture remains an open question. Here we show that beyond differences in electron affinities and polar effects, a key parameter determining charge transfer at correlated oxide interfaces is the energy required to alter the covalence of the metal-oxygen bond. Using the perovskite nickelate (RNiO3) family as a template, we probe charge reconstruction at interfaces with gadolinium titanate GdTiO3. X-ray absorption spectroscopy shows that the charge transfer is thwarted by hybridization effects tuned by the rare-earth (R) size. Charge transfer results in an induced ferromagnetic-like state in the nickelate, exemplifying the potential of correlated interfaces to design novel phases. Further, our work clarifies strategies to engineer two-dimensional systems through the control of both doping and covalence.

  3. Hybridization-controlled charge transfer and induced magnetism at correlated oxide interfaces

    PubMed Central

    Grisolia, M.N.; Arora, A.; Valencia, S.; Varela, M.; Abrudan, R.; Weschke, E.; Schierle, E.; Rault, J.E.; Rueff, J.-P.; Barthélémy, A.; Santamaria, J.; Bibes, M.

    2015-01-01

    At interfaces between conventional materials, band bending and alignment are classically controlled by differences in electrochemical potential. Applying this concept to oxides in which interfaces can be polar and cations may adopt a mixed valence has led to the discovery of novel two-dimensional states between simple band insulators such as LaAlO3 and SrTiO3. However, many oxides have a more complex electronic structure, with charge, orbital and/or spin orders arising from strong Coulomb interactions between transition metal and oxygen ions. Such electronic correlations offer a rich playground to engineer functional interfaces but their compatibility with the classical band alignment picture remains an open question. Here we show that beyond differences in electron affinities and polar effects, a key parameter determining charge transfer at correlated oxide interfaces is the energy required to alter the covalence of the metal-oxygen bond. Using the perovskite nickelate (RNiO3) family as a template, we probe charge reconstruction at interfaces with gadolinium titanate GdTiO3. X-ray absorption spectroscopy shows that the charge transfer is thwarted by hybridization effects tuned by the rare-earth (R) size. Charge transfer results in an induced ferromagnetic-like state in the nickelate, exemplifying the potential of correlated interfaces to design novel phases. Further, our work clarifies strategies to engineer two-dimensional systems through the control of both doping and covalence. PMID:27158255

  4. Cellular and molecular analysis of mutagenesis induced by charged particles of defined linear energy transfer.

    PubMed

    Zhu, L X; Waldren, C A; Vannias, D; Hei, T K

    1996-03-01

    Mutation induction by charged particles of defined linear energy transfer (LET) and gamma rays was scored using human-hamster hybrid AL cells. The LET values for charged particles accelerated at the Radiological Research Accelerator Facility ranged from 10 keV/microm protons to 150 keV/microm 4He ions. The induced mutant fractions at both the S1 and HGPRT loci were dependent on the dose and LET. In addition, for each dose examined, the mutant yield at the S1 locus was 30-60 fold higher than at the corresponding HGPRT locus. To determine whether the mutation spectrum was comparably dependent on dose and LET, independent S1- and HGPRT- mutants induced by 150 keV/microm 4He ions and gamma rays were isolated, and their DNA was analyzed by both Southern blotting and multiplex PCR methods. While the majority of radiation-induced mutants showed deletions of varying sizes, the relative percentage of large deletions was found to be related to both the dose and LET of the radiation examined. Using a mutation system that can detect multilocus changes, results of the present study show that radiation-induced chromosomal loss can be in the millions of base pairs.

  5. Cellular and molecular analysis of mutagenesis induced by charged particles of defined linear energy transfer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zhu, L. X.; Waldren, C. A.; Vannias, D.; Hei, T. K.; Chatterjee, A. (Principal Investigator)

    1996-01-01

    Mutation induction by charged particles of defined linear energy transfer (LET) and gamma rays was scored using human-hamster hybrid AL cells. The LET values for charged particles accelerated at the Radiological Research Accelerator Facility ranged from 10 keV/microm protons to 150 keV/microm 4He ions. The induced mutant fractions at both the S1 and HGPRT loci were dependent on the dose and LET. In addition, for each dose examined, the mutant yield at the S1 locus was 30-60 fold higher than at the corresponding HGPRT locus. To determine whether the mutation spectrum was comparably dependent on dose and LET, independent S1- and HGPRT- mutants induced by 150 keV/microm 4He ions and gamma rays were isolated, and their DNA was analyzed by both Southern blotting and multiplex PCR methods. While the majority of radiation-induced mutants showed deletions of varying sizes, the relative percentage of large deletions was found to be related to both the dose and LET of the radiation examined. Using a mutation system that can detect multilocus changes, results of the present study show that radiation-induced chromosomal loss can be in the millions of base pairs.

  6. Tunable charge transfer properties in metal-phthalocyanine heterojunctions.

    PubMed

    Siles, P F; Hahn, T; Salvan, G; Knupfer, M; Zhu, F; Zahn, D R T; Schmidt, O G

    2016-04-28

    Organic materials such as phthalocyanine-based systems present a great potential for organic device applications due to the possibility of integrating films of different organic materials to create organic heterostructures which combine the electrical capabilities of each material. This opens the possibility to precisely engineer and tune new electrical properties. In particular, similar transition metal phthalocyanines demonstrate hybridization and charge transfer properties which could lead to interesting physical phenomena. Although, when considering device dimensions, a better understanding and control of the tuning of the transport properties still remain in the focus of research. Here, by employing conductive atomic force microscopy techniques, we provide an insight about the nanoscale electrical properties and transport mechanisms of MnPc and fluorinated phthalocyanines such as F16CuPc and F16CoPc. We report a transition from typical diode-like transport mechanisms for pure MnPc thin films to space-charge-limited current transport regime (SCLC) for Pc-based heterostructures. The controlled addition of fluorinated phthalocyanine also provides highly uniform and symmetric-polarized transport characteristics with conductance enhancements up to two orders of magnitude depending on the polarization. We present a method to spatially map the mobility of the MnPc/F16CuPc structures with a nanoscale resolution and provide theoretical calculations to support our experimental findings. This well-controlled nanoscale tuning of the electrical properties for metal transition phthalocyanine junctions stands as key step for future phthalocyanine-based electronic devices, where the low dimension charge transfer, mediated by transition metal atoms could be intrinsically linked to a transfer of magnetic moment or spin.

  7. Structure and Electronic Spectra of Purine-Methyl Viologen Charge Transfer Complexes

    PubMed Central

    Jalilov, Almaz S.; Patwardhan, Sameer; Singh, Arunoday; Simeon, Tomekia; Sarjeant, Amy A.; Schatz, George C.; Lewis, Frederick D.

    2014-01-01

    The structure and properties of the electron donor-acceptor complexes formed between methyl viologen (MV) and purine nucleosides and nucleotides in water and the solid state have been investigated using a combination of experimental and theoretical methods. Solution studies were performed using UV-vis and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Theoretical calculations were performed within the framework of density functional theory (DFT). Energy decomposition analysis indicates that dispersion and induction (charge-transfer) interactions dominate the total binding energy, whereas electrostatic interactions are largely repulsive. The appearance of charge transfer bands in the absorption spectra of the complexes are well described by time-dependent (TD) DFT and are further explained in terms of the redox properties of purine monomers and solvation effects. Crystal structures are reported for complexes of methyl viologen with the purines 2′-deoxyguanosine 3′-monophosphate GMP (DAD′DAD′ type) and 7-deazaguanosine zG (DAD′ADAD′ type). Comparison of the structures determined in the solid state and by theoretical methods in solution provides valuable insights into the nature of charge-transfer interactions involving purine bases as electron donors. PMID:24294996

  8. Modelling charge transfer reactions with the frozen density embedding formalism.

    PubMed

    Pavanello, Michele; Neugebauer, Johannes

    2011-12-21

    The frozen density embedding (FDE) subsystem formulation of density-functional theory is a useful tool for studying charge transfer reactions. In this work charge-localized, diabatic states are generated directly with FDE and used to calculate electronic couplings of hole transfer reactions in two π-stacked nucleobase dimers of B-DNA: 5'-GG-3' and 5'-GT-3'. The calculations rely on two assumptions: the two-state model, and a small differential overlap between donor and acceptor subsystem densities. The resulting electronic couplings agree well with benchmark values for those exchange-correlation functionals that contain a high percentage of exact exchange. Instead, when semilocal GGA functionals are used the electronic couplings are grossly overestimated.

  9. Surfactant-enhanced singlet energy transfer from the charge-transfer excited state of tris(2,2-bipyridine) ruthenium(II)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mandal, Krishnagopal; Demas, J. N.

    1981-12-01

    Very efficient (45-75%) sodium lauryl sulfate (NaLS) enhanced singlet enengy transfer has been demonstrated from the spin-orbit charge-transfer excited state of [Ru(bpy) 3] 2+ (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) to the xxx violet, oxazine 1, and rhodamine 101 at concentrations of 10 -5 M, Energy transfer occurs in xxx.

  10. Improving nanoparticle dispersion and charge transfer in cadmium telluride tetrapod and conjugated polymer blends.

    PubMed

    Monson, Todd C; Hollars, Christopher W; Orme, Christine A; Huser, Thomas

    2011-04-01

    The dispersion of CdTe tetrapods in a conducting polymer and the resulting charge transfer is studied using a combination of confocal fluorescence microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results of this work show that both the tetrapod dispersion and charge transfer between the CdTe and conducting polymer (P3HT) are greatly enhanced by exchanging the ligands on the surface of the CdTe and by choosing proper solvent mixtures. The ability to experimentally probe the relationship between particle dispersion and charge transfer through the combination of AFM and fluorescence microscopy provides another avenue to assess the performance of polymer/semiconductor nanoparticle composites. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  11. Topological Effects of Charge Transfer in Telomere G-Quadruplex Mechanism on Telomerase Activation and Inhibition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Xin; Liang, Shi-Dong

    2013-02-01

    We explore the charge transfer in the telomere G-Quadruplex (TG4) DNA theoretically by the nonequilibrium Green's function method, and reveal the topological effect of the charge transport in TG4 DNA. The consecutive TG4 (CTG4) is semiconducting with 0.2 0.3 eV energy gap. Charges transfer favorably in the CTG4, but are trapped in the nonconsecutive TG4 (NCTG4). The global conductance is inversely proportional to the local conductance for NCTG4. The topological structure transition from NCTG4 to CTG4 induces abruptly 3nA charge current, which provide a microscopic clue to understand the telomerase activated or inhibited by TG4. Our findings reveal the fundamental property of charge transfer in TG4 and its relationship with the topological structure of TG4.

  12. Fabrication and charge/energy-transfer study of 4,7-bis(4-triphenylamino)benzo- 2,1,3-thiadiazole/CuPc composite films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Yuanyuan; Gu, Shuangxi; Wei, Xiao; Xue, Minzhao; Zhang, Qing; Sheng, Qiaorong; Liu, Yangang

    2010-12-01

    Composite films of 4,7-bis(4-triphenylamino)benzo-2,1,3-thiadiazole (TBT) and copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) are fabricated via protonation-coelectrophoretic deposition from nitromethane solutions of TBT/CuPc mixture in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid as a protonation reagent. A nanospheres-nanowires interpenetrating network structure is obtained when the molar percentage of TBT is 70%. Furthermore, the existence of TBT makes α-phased CuPc be partly transformed into the β-phase, and simultaneously, CuPc disorganizes the TBT unit cells. The blue shift on the absorption edge of TBT and the significant fluorescence quenching in the composite films indicate energy/charge transfer and donor-acceptor (D-A) heterojunction formation. Then these results are proved from another point of view: the mutual overlap of absorption and emission spectra of TBT and CuPc lead to a bidirectional Förster resonance energy transfer at the interface; the molecular energy levels calculated from the results of cyclic voltammetry theoretically determine that there exist a D-A heterojunction and charge transfer from TBT to CuPc. Finally, from the investigation of the field-induced surface photovoltage spectra, it can be concluded that this charge transfer results in efficient dissociation of the photoinduced excitons in the composite films, followed by the generation of a strong photovoltage response.

  13. Multipole correction of atomic monopole models of molecular charge distribution. I. Peptides

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sokalski, W. A.; Keller, D. A.; Ornstein, R. L.; Rein, R.

    1993-01-01

    The defects in atomic monopole models of molecular charge distribution have been analyzed for several model-blocked peptides and compared with accurate quantum chemical values. The results indicate that the angular characteristics of the molecular electrostatic potential around functional groups capable of forming hydrogen bonds can be considerably distorted within various models relying upon isotropic atomic charges only. It is shown that these defects can be corrected by augmenting the atomic point charge models by cumulative atomic multipole moments (CAMMs). Alternatively, sets of off-center atomic point charges could be automatically derived from respective multipoles, providing approximately equivalent corrections. For the first time, correlated atomic multipoles have been calculated for N-acetyl, N'-methylamide-blocked derivatives of glycine, alanine, cysteine, threonine, leucine, lysine, and serine using the MP2 method. The role of the correlation effects in the peptide molecular charge distribution are discussed.

  14. Energy and charge transfer in ionized argon coated water clusters.

    PubMed

    Kočišek, J; Lengyel, J; Fárník, M; Slavíček, P

    2013-12-07

    We investigate the electron ionization of clusters generated in mixed Ar-water expansions. The electron energy dependent ion yields reveal the neutral cluster composition and structure: water clusters fully covered with the Ar solvation shell are formed under certain expansion conditions. The argon atoms shield the embedded (H2O)n clusters resulting in the ionization threshold above ≈15 eV for all fragments. The argon atoms also mediate more complex reactions in the clusters: e.g., the charge transfer between Ar(+) and water occurs above the threshold; at higher electron energies above ~28 eV, an excitonic transfer process between Ar(+)* and water opens leading to new products Ar(n)H(+) and (H2O)(n)H(+). On the other hand, the excitonic transfer from the neutral Ar* state at lower energies is not observed although this resonant process was demonstrated previously in a photoionization experiment. Doubly charged fragments (H2O)(n)H2(2+) and (H2O)(n)(2+) ions are observed and Intermolecular Coulomb decay (ICD) processes are invoked to explain their thresholds. The Coulomb explosion of the doubly charged cluster formed within the ICD process is prevented by the stabilization effect of the argon solvent.

  15. Charge transfer in trans-combretastatins

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holzmann, Nicole; Bernasconi, Leonardo; Callaghan, Kathrin M.; Bisby, Roger H.; Parker, Anthony W.

    2018-01-01

    The non-toxic trans isomer of combretastatin-A4 can be photoisomerised in physiological conditions to cis-CA4, a potential anticancer drug. Absorption at wavelengths with high tissue penetration can be achieved by functionalization with substituents influencing the degree of charge-transfer (CT) of the S1 state, in which the isomerisation occurs. We present a TDDFT study of the excited state properties of a series of substituted combretastatins with various degrees of CT character. Increasing the CT character determines a redshift of absorption and an intensity enhancement, but it disfavours the isomerisation. An appropriate choice of substituents is therefore required to achieve optimal isomerisation conditions.

  16. Communication: Charge-transfer rate constants in zinc-porphyrin-porphyrin-derived dyads: A Fermi golden rule first-principles-based study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manna, Arun K.; Dunietz, Barry D.

    2014-09-01

    We investigate photoinduced charge transfer (CT) processes within dyads consisting of porphyrin derivatives in which one ring ligates a Zn metal center and where the rings vary by their degree of conjugation. Using a first-principles approach, we show that molecular-scale means can tune CT rates through stabilization affected by the polar environment. Such means of CT tuning are important for achieving high efficiency optoelectronic applications using organic semiconducting materials. Our fully quantum mechanical scheme is necessary for reliably modeling the CT process across different regimes, in contrast to the pervading semi-classical Marcus picture that grossly underestimates transfer in the far-inverted regime.

  17. Atom-bond electronegativity equalization method fused into molecular mechanics. I. A seven-site fluctuating charge and flexible body water potential function for water clusters.

    PubMed

    Yang, Zhong-Zhi; Wu, Yang; Zhao, Dong-Xia

    2004-02-08

    Recently, experimental and theoretical studies on the water system are very active and noticeable. A transferable intermolecular potential seven points approach including fluctuation charges and flexible body (ABEEM-7P) based on a combination of the atom-bond electronegativity equalization and molecular mechanics (ABEEM/MM), and its application to small water clusters are explored and tested in this paper. The consistent combination of ABEEM and molecular mechanics (MM) is to take the ABEEM charges of atoms, bonds, and lone-pair electrons into the intermolecular electrostatic interaction term in molecular mechanics. To examine the charge transfer we have used two models coming from the charge constraint types: one is a charge neutrality constraint on whole water system and the other is on each water molecule. Compared with previous water force fields, the ABEEM-7P model has two characters: (1) the ABEEM-7P model not only presents the electrostatic interaction of atoms, bonds and lone-pair electrons and their changing in respond to different ambient environment but also introduces "the hydrogen bond interaction region" in which a new parameter k(lp,H)(R(lp,H)) is used to describe the electrostatic interaction of the lone-pair electron and the hydrogen atom which can form the hydrogen bond; (2) nonrigid but flexible water body permitting the vibration of the bond length and angle is allowed due to the combination of ABEEM and molecular mechanics, and for van der Waals interaction the ABEEM-7P model takes an all atom-atom interaction, i.e., oxygen-oxygen, hydrogen-hydrogen, oxygen-hydrogen interaction into account. The ABEEM-7P model based on ABEEM/MM gives quite accurate predictions for gas-phase state properties of the small water clusters (H(2)O)(n) (n=2-6), such as optimized geometries, monomer dipole moments, vibrational frequencies, and cluster interaction energies. Due to its explicit description of charges and the hydrogen bond, the ABEEM-7P model will be

  18. Synergizing Noncovalent Bonding Interactions in the Self-Assembly of Organic Charge-Transfer Ferroelectrics and Metal-Organic Frameworks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cao, Dennis

    Contemporary supramolecular chemistry---chemistry beyond the molecule---seeks to leverage noncovalent bonding interactions to generate emergent properties and complexity. These aims extend beyond the solution phase and into the solid state, where crystalline organic materials have attracted much attention for their ability to imitate the physical properties of inorganic crystals. This Thesis outlines my efforts to understand the properties of the solid-state materials that are self-assembled with noncovalent bonding motifs which I have helped to realize. In the first five Chapters, I chronicle the development of the lock-arm supramolecular ordering (LASO) paradigm, which is a general molecular design strategy for amplifying the crystallization of charge transfer complexes that revolves around the synergistic action of hydrogen bonding and charge transfer interactions. In an effort to expand upon the LASO paradigm, I identify a two-point halogen-bonding motif which appears to operate orthogonally from the hydrogen bonding and charge transfer interactions. Since some of these single crystalline materials are ferroelectric at room temperature, I discuss the implications of these experimental observations and reconcile them with the centrosymmetric space groups assigned after X-ray crystallographic refinements. I conclude in the final two Chapters by recording my endeavors to control the assembly of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with noncovalent bonding interactions between [2]catenane-bearing struts. First of all, I describe the formation of syndiotactic pi-stacked 2D MOF layers before highlighting a two-component MOF that assembles with a magic number ratio of components that is independent of the molar proportions present in the crystallization medium.

  19. Theoretical Investigation of OCN(-) Charge Transfer Complexes in Condensed Phase Media: Spectroscopic Properties in Amorphous Ice

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Park, Jin-Young; Woon, David E.

    2004-01-01

    Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of cyanate (OCN(-)) charge-transfer complexes were performed to model the "XCN" feature observed in interstellar icy grain mantles. OCN(-) charge-transfer complexes were formed from precursor combinations of HNCO or HOCN with either NH3 or H2O. Three different solvation strategies for realistically modeling the ice matrix environment were explored, including (1) continuum solvation, (2) pure DFT cluster calculations, and (3) an ONIOM DFT/PM3 cluster calculation. The model complexes were evaluated by their ability to reproduce seven spectroscopic measurements associated with XCN: the band origin of the OCN(-) asymmetric stretching mode, shifts in that frequency due to isotopic substitutions of C, N, O, and H, plus two weak features. The continuum solvent field method produced results consistent with some of the experimental data but failed to account for other behavior due to its limited capacity to describe molecular interactions with solvent. DFT cluster calculations successfully reproduced the available spectroscopic measurements very well. In particular, the deuterium shift showed excellent agreement in complexes where OCN(-) was fully solvated. Detailed studies of representative complexes including from two to twelve water molecules allowed the exploration of various possible solvation structures and provided insights into solvation trends. Moreover, complexes arising from cyanic or isocyanic acid in pure water suggested an alternative mechanism for the formation of OCN(-) charge-transfer complexes without the need for a strong base such as NH3 to be present. An extended ONIOM (B3LYP/PM3) cluster calculation was also performed to assess the impact of a more realistic environment on HNCO dissociation in pure water.

  20. Evidences For Charge Transfer-Induced Conformational Changes In Carbon Nanostructure-Protein Corona

    PubMed Central

    Podila, R.; Vedantam, P.; Ke, P. C.; Brown, J. M.; Rao, A. M.

    2012-01-01

    The binding of proteins to a nanostructure often alters protein secondary and tertiary structures. However, the main physical mechanisms that elicit protein conformational changes in the presence of the nanostructure have not yet been fully established. Here we performed a comprehensive spectroscopic study to probe the interactions between bovine serum albumin (BSA) and carbon-based nanostructures of graphene and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Our results showed that the BSA “corona” acted as a weak acceptor to facilitate charge transfer from the carbon nanostructures. Notably, we observed that charge transfer occurred only in the case of SWNTs but not in graphene, resulting from the sharp and discrete electronic density of states of the former. Furthermore, the relaxation of external α–helices in BSA secondary structure increased concomitantly with the charge transfer. These results may help guide controlled nanostructure-biomolecular interactions and prove beneficial for developing novel drug delivery systems, biomedical devices and engineering of safe nanomaterials. PMID:23243478

  1. Engineering the Charge Transfer in all 2D Graphene-Nanoplatelets Heterostructure Photodetectors

    PubMed Central

    Robin, A.; Lhuillier, E.; Xu, X. Z.; Ithurria, S.; Aubin, H.; Ouerghi, A.; Dubertret, B.

    2016-01-01

    Two dimensional layered (i.e. van der Waals) heterostructures open up great prospects, especially in photodetector applications. In this context, the control of the charge transfer between the constituting layers is of crucial importance. Compared to bulk or 0D system, 2D materials are characterized by a large exciton binding energy (0.1–1 eV) which considerably affects the magnitude of the charge transfer. Here we investigate a model system made from colloidal 2D CdSe nanoplatelets and epitaxial graphene in a phototransistor configuration. We demonstrate that using a heterostructured layered material, we can tune the magnitude and the direction (i.e. electron or hole) of the charge transfer. We further evidence that graphene functionalization by nanocrystals only leads to a limited change in the magnitude of the 1/f noise. These results draw some new directions to design van der Waals heterostructures with enhanced optoelectronic properties. PMID:27143413

  2. Atomistic Time-Domain Simulations of Light-Harvesting and Charge-Transfer Dynamics in Novel Nanoscale Materials for Solar Hydrogen Production.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Prezhdo, Oleg V.

    2012-03-22

    Funded by the DOE grant (i) we continued to study and analyze the atomistic detail of the electron transfer (ET) across the chromophore-TiO2 interface in Gratzel cell systems for solar hydrogen production. (ii) We extensively investigated the nature of photoexcited states and excited state dynamics in semiconductor quantum dots (QD) designed for photovoltaic applications. (iii) We continued a newly initiated research direction focusing on excited state properties and electron-phonon interactions in nanoscale carbon materials. Over the past year, the results of the DOE funded research were summarized in 3 review articles. 12 original manuscripts were written. The research results weremore » reported in 28 invited talks at conferences and university seminars. 20 invitations were accepted for talks in the near future. 2 symposia at national and international meetings have being organized this year on topics closely related to the DOE funded project, and 2 more symposia have been planned for the near future. We summarized the insights into photoinduced dynamics of semiconductor QDs, obtained from our time-domain ab initio studies. QDs exhibit both molecular and bulk properties. Unlike either bulk or molecular materials, QD properties can be modified continuously by changing QD shape and size. However, the chemical and physical properties of molecular and bulk materials often contradict each other, which can lead to differing viewpoints about the behavior of QDs. For example, the molecular view suggests strong electron-hole and charge-phonon interactions, as well as slow energy relaxation due to mismatch between electronic energy gaps and phonon frequencies. In contrast, the bulk view advocates that the kinetic energy of quantum confinement is greater than electron-hole interactions, that charge-phonon coupling is weak, and that the relaxation through quasi-continuous bands is rapid. By synthesizing the bulk and molecular viewpoints, we clarified the controversies and

  3. The low-energy, charge-transfer excited states of 4-amino-4-prime-nitrodiphenyl sulfide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    O'Connor, Donald B.; Scott, Gary W.; Tran, Kim; Coulter, Daniel R.; Miskowski, Vincent M.; Stiegman, Albert E.; Wnek, Gary E.

    1992-01-01

    Absorption and emission spectra of 4-amino-4-prime-nitrodiphenyl sulfide in polar and nonpolar solvents were used to characterize and assign the low-energy excited states of the molecule. Fluorescence-excitation anisotropy spectra and fluorescence quantum yields were also used to characterize the photophysics of these states. The lowest-energy fluorescent singlet state was determined to be an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state involving transfer of a full electron charge from the amino to the nitro group yielding a dipole moment of about 50 D. A low-energy, intense absorption band is assigned as a transition to a different ICT state involving a partial electron charge transfer from sulfur to the nitro group.

  4. Molecular Electronic Coupling Controls Charge Recombination Kinetics in Organic Solar Cells of Low Bandgap Diketopyrrolopyrrole, Carbazole, and Thiophene Polymers

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Low-bandgap diketopyrrolopyrrole- and carbazole-based polymer bulk-heterojunction solar cells exhibit much faster charge carrier recombination kinetics than that encountered for less-recombining poly(3-hexylthiophene). Solar cells comprising these polymers exhibit energy losses caused by carrier recombination of approximately 100 mV, expressed as reduction in open-circuit voltage, and consequently photovoltaic conversion efficiency lowers in more than 20%. The analysis presented here unravels the origin of that energy loss by connecting the limiting mechanism governing recombination dynamics to the electronic coupling occurring at the donor polymer and acceptor fullerene interfaces. Previous approaches correlate carrier transport properties and recombination kinetics by means of Langevin-like mechanisms. However, neither carrier mobility nor polymer ionization energy helps understanding the variation of the recombination coefficient among the studied polymers. In the framework of the charge transfer Marcus theory, it is proposed that recombination time scale is linked with charge transfer molecular mechanisms at the polymer/fullerene interfaces. As expected for efficient organic solar cells, small electronic coupling existing between donor polymers and acceptor fullerene (Vif < 1 meV) and large reorganization energy (λ ≈ 0.7 eV) are encountered. Differences in the electronic coupling among polymer/fullerene blends suffice to explain the slowest recombination exhibited by poly(3-hexylthiophene)-based solar cells. Our approach reveals how to directly connect photovoltaic parameters as open-circuit voltage to molecular properties of blended materials. PMID:23662167

  5. Modelling charge transfer reactions with the frozen density embedding formalism

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pavanello, Michele; Neugebauer, Johannes

    2011-12-21

    The frozen density embedding (FDE) subsystem formulation of density-functional theory is a useful tool for studying charge transfer reactions. In this work charge-localized, diabatic states are generated directly with FDE and used to calculate electronic couplings of hole transfer reactions in two {pi}-stacked nucleobase dimers of B-DNA: 5{sup '}-GG-3{sup '} and 5{sup '}-GT-3{sup '}. The calculations rely on two assumptions: the two-state model, and a small differential overlap between donor and acceptor subsystem densities. The resulting electronic couplings agree well with benchmark values for those exchange-correlation functionals that contain a high percentage of exact exchange. Instead, when semilocal GGA functionalsmore » are used the electronic couplings are grossly overestimated.« less

  6. The influence of electric charge transferred during electro-mechanical reshaping on mechanical behavior of cartilage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Protsenko, Dimitry E.; Lim, Amanda; Wu, Edward C.; Manuel, Cyrus; Wong, Brian J. F.

    2011-03-01

    Electromechanical reshaping (EMR) of cartilage has been suggested as an alternative to the classical surgical techniques of modifying the shape of facial cartilages. The method is based on exposure of mechanically deformed cartilaginous tissue to a low level electric field. Electro-chemical reactions within the tissue lead to reduction of internal stress, and establishment of a new equilibrium shape. The same reactions offset the electric charge balance between collagen and proteoglycan matrix and interstitial fluid responsible for maintenance of cartilage mechanical properties. The objective of this study was to investigate correlation between the electric charge transferred during EMR and equilibrium elastic modulus. We used a finite element model based on the triphasic theory of cartilage mechanical properties to study how electric charges transferred in the electro-chemical reactions in cartilage can change its mechanical responses to step displacements in unconfined compression. The concentrations of the ions, the strain field and the fluid and ion velocities within the specimen subject to an applied mechanical deformation were estimated and apparent elastic modulus (the ratio of the equilibrium axial stress to the axial strain) was calculated as a function of transferred charge. The results from numerical calculations showed that the apparent elastic modulus decreases with increase in electric charge transfer. To compare numerical model with experimental observation we measured elastic modulus of cartilage as a function of electric charge transferred in electric circuit during EMR. Good correlation between experimental and theoretical data suggests that electric charge disbalance is responsible for alteration of cartilage mechanical properties.

  7. Direct Measurement of Charge Regulation in Metalloprotein Electron Transfer.

    PubMed

    Zahler, Collin T; Zhou, Hongyu; Abdolvahabi, Alireza; Holden, Rebecca L; Rasouli, Sanaz; Tao, Peng; Shaw, Bryan F

    2018-05-04

    Determining whether a protein regulates its net electrostatic charge during electron transfer (ET) will deepen our mechanistic understanding of how polypeptides tune rates and free energies of ET (e.g., by affecting reorganization energy, and/or redox potential). Charge regulation during ET has never been measured for proteins because few tools exist to measure the net charge of a folded protein in solution at different oxidation states. Herein, we used a niche analytical tool (protein charge ladders analyzed with capillary electrophoresis) to determine that the net charges of myoglobin, cytochrome c, and azurin change by 0.62±0.06, 1.19±0.02, and 0.51±0.04 units upon single ET. Computational analysis predicts that these fluctuations in charge arise from changes in the pK a  values of multiple non-coordinating residues (predominantly histidine) that involve between 0.42-0.90 eV. These results suggest that ionizable residues can tune the reactivity of redox centers by regulating the net charge of the entire protein-cofactor-solvent complex. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Effects of the charge-transfer reorganization energy on the open-circuit voltage in small-molecular bilayer organic photovoltaic devices: comparison of the influence of deposition rates of the donor.

    PubMed

    Lee, Chih-Chien; Su, Wei-Cheng; Chang, Wen-Chang

    2016-05-14

    The theoretical maximum of open-circuit voltage (VOC) of organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices has yet to be determined, and its origin remains debated. Here, we demonstrate that VOC of small-molecule OPV devices can be improved by controlling the deposition rate of a donor without changing the interfacial energy gap at the donor/acceptor interface. The measurement of external quantum efficiency and electroluminescence spectra facilitates the observation of the existence of charge transfer (CT) states. A simplified approach by reusing the reciprocity relationship for obtaining the properties of the CT states is proposed without introducing complex techniques. We compare experimental and fitting results and propose that reorganization energy is the primary factor in determining VOC instead of either the CT energy or electronic coupling term in bilayer OPV devices. Atomic force microscopy images indicate a weak molecular aggregation when a higher deposition rate is used. The results of temperature-dependent measurements suggest the importance of molecular stacking for the CT properties.

  9. Ligand-induced dependence of charge transfer in nanotube–quantum dot heterostructures

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Lei; Han, Jinkyu; Sundahl, Bryan; ...

    2016-07-01

    As a model system to probe ligand-dependent charge transfer in complex composite heterostructures, we fabricated double-walled carbon nanotube (DWNT) – CdSe quantum dot (QD) composites. Whereas the average diameter of the QDs probed was kept fixed at ~4.1 nm and the nanotubes analyzed were similarly oxidatively processed, by contrast, the ligands used to mediate the covalent attachment between the QDs and DWNTs were systematically varied to include p-phenylenediamine (PPD), 2-aminoethanethiol (AET), and 4-aminothiophenol (ATP). Herein, we have put forth a unique compilation of complementary data from experiment and theory, including results from transmission electron microscopy (TEM), near-edge X-ray absorption finemore » structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, electrical transport measurements, and theoretical modeling studies, in order to fundamentally assess the nature of the charge transfer between CdSe QDs and DWNTs, as a function of the structure of various, intervening bridging ligand molecules. Specifically, we correlated evidence of charge transfer as manifested by changes and shifts associated with NEXAFS intensities, Raman peak positions, and threshold voltages both before and after CdSe QD deposition onto the underlying DWNT surface. Importantly, for the first time ever in these types of nanoscale composite systems, we have sought to use theoretical modeling to justify and account for our experimental results. Finally, our overall data suggest that (i) QD coverage density on the DWNTs varies, based upon the different ligand pendant groups used and that (ii) the presence of a π-conjugated carbon framework within the ligands themselves and the electron affinity of the pendant groups collectively play important roles in the resulting charge transfer from QDs to the underlying CNTs.« less

  10. Charge transfer to ground-state ions produces free electrons

    PubMed Central

    You, D.; Fukuzawa, H.; Sakakibara, Y.; Takanashi, T.; Ito, Y.; Maliyar, G. G.; Motomura, K.; Nagaya, K.; Nishiyama, T.; Asa, K.; Sato, Y.; Saito, N.; Oura, M.; Schöffler, M.; Kastirke, G.; Hergenhahn, U.; Stumpf, V.; Gokhberg, K.; Kuleff, A. I.; Cederbaum, L. S.; Ueda, K

    2017-01-01

    Inner-shell ionization of an isolated atom typically leads to Auger decay. In an environment, for example, a liquid or a van der Waals bonded system, this process will be modified, and becomes part of a complex cascade of relaxation steps. Understanding these steps is important, as they determine the production of slow electrons and singly charged radicals, the most abundant products in radiation chemistry. In this communication, we present experimental evidence for a so-far unobserved, but potentially very important step in such relaxation cascades: Multiply charged ionic states after Auger decay may partially be neutralized by electron transfer, simultaneously evoking the creation of a low-energy free electron (electron transfer-mediated decay). This process is effective even after Auger decay into the dicationic ground state. In our experiment, we observe the decay of Ne2+ produced after Ne 1s photoionization in Ne–Kr mixed clusters. PMID:28134238

  11. Effective pathway of charge transfer in DNA duplex

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Seongjin; Yi, Juyeon; Hwang, Sun-Yong

    2009-03-01

    We examine the most efficient route for charge propagation in DNA duplex. We find a direct path along one strand and a detour using the complementary strand compete with each other. Charge tends to take the path along the strand whose energy levels are close to its energy, and yet there exists a crossover length Nc so that for a transfer over a distance shorter than Nc the direct path is always advantageous. We obtain the analytic results for the behavior together with various decay types such as a constant decay, an exponential decay, and a crossover between them, whose validity is confirmed by the numerical calculation.

  12. Charge transfer at organic-organic heterojunctions, and remote doping of a pentacene transistor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Wei

    Organic-organic heterojunctions (OOHs) are the fundamental building blocks of organic devices, such as organic light-emitting diodes, organic photovoltaic cells, and photo detectors. Transport of free electrons and holes, exciton formation, recombination or dissociation, and various other physical processes all take place in OOHs. Understanding the electronic structures of OOH is critical for studying device physics and further improving the performance of organic devices. This work focuses on the electronic structure, i.e., the energy level alignment, at OOHs, investigated by ultraviolet and inverse photoemission spectroscopy (UPS and IPES). The weak interaction that generally prevails at OOH interfaces leads to small interface dipoles of 0˜0.5eV. The experimental observations on the majority of OOHs studied can be semi-quantitatively predicted by the model derived from the induced density of interface states and charge neutrality level (IDIS/CNL). However, we also find that the electronic structure of interfaces between two small-band-gap semiconductors, e.g., using copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) as the donor and a tris(thieno)-hexaazatriphenylene derivative (THAP) as the acceptor, is strongly influenced by changes in the substrate work function. In these cases, the charge transfer that takes place at the interface is governed by thermodynamic equilibrium, dominating any subtle interaction due to IDIS/CNL. The impact of doping on the energy level alignment of OOHs is also studied. The charges donated by the dopant molecules transfer from the parent doped layer to the adjacent undoped layer, taking advantage of the molecular level offset, and are then spatially separated from the dopant molecules. Remote doping, based on this charge transfer mechanism, is demonstrated with the heterojunction formed between pentacene and N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(1-naphthyl)-1,1'bisphenyl-4,4'diazine (alpha-NPD) p-doped with tris[1,2-bis(trifluoromethyl) ethane-1,2-dithiolene] (Mo

  13. Transition from capacitive coupling to direct charge transfer in asymmetric terahertz plasmonic assemblies.

    PubMed

    Ahmadivand, Arash; Sinha, Raju; Gerislioglu, Burak; Karabiyik, Mustafa; Pala, Nezih; Shur, Michael

    2016-11-15

    We experimentally and numerically analyze the charge transfer THz plasmons using an asymmetric plasmonic assembly of metallic V-shaped blocks. The asymmetric design of the blocks allows for the excitation of classical dipolar and multipolar modes due to the capacitive coupling. Introducing a conductive microdisk between the blocks, we facilitated the excitation of the charge transfer plasmons and studied their characteristics along with the capacitive coupling by varying the size of the disk.

  14. Ultrafast Charge Transfer and Hybrid Exciton Formation in 2D/0D Heterostructures

    DOE PAGES

    Boulesbaa, Abdelaziz; Wang, Kai; Mahjouri-Samani, Masoud; ...

    2016-10-18

    We report that photoinduced interfacial charge transfer is at the heart of many applications, including photovoltaics, photocatalysis, and photodetection. With the emergence of a new class of semiconductors such as monolayer two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D-TMDs), charge transfer at the 2D/2D heterojunctions attracted several efforts due to the remarkable optical and electrical properties of 2D-TMDs. Unfortunately, in 2D/2D heterojunctions, for a given combination of two materials, the relative energy band alignment and the charge transfer efficiency are locked. Due to their large variety and broad size tunability, semiconductor quantum dots (0D-QDs) interfaced with 2D-TMDs may become an attractive heterostructure formore » optoelectronic applications. Here, we incorporate femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy to reveal the sub-45 fs charge transfer at a 2D/0D heterostructure composed of tungsten disulfide monolayers (2D-WS 2) and a single layer of cadmium selenide (CdSe)/zinc sulfide (ZnS) core/shell 0D-QDs. Furthermore, ultrafast dynamics and steady-state measurements suggested that following electron transfer from the 2D to the 0D, hybrid excitons (HXs), wherein the electron resides in the 0D and hole resides in the 2D-TMD monolayer, are formed with a binding energy on the order of ~140 meV, which is several times lower than that of tightly bound excitons in 2D-TMDs.« less

  15. Ultrafast Charge Transfer and Hybrid Exciton Formation in 2D/0D Heterostructures

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Boulesbaa, Abdelaziz; Wang, Kai; Mahjouri-Samani, Masoud

    We report that photoinduced interfacial charge transfer is at the heart of many applications, including photovoltaics, photocatalysis, and photodetection. With the emergence of a new class of semiconductors such as monolayer two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D-TMDs), charge transfer at the 2D/2D heterojunctions attracted several efforts due to the remarkable optical and electrical properties of 2D-TMDs. Unfortunately, in 2D/2D heterojunctions, for a given combination of two materials, the relative energy band alignment and the charge transfer efficiency are locked. Due to their large variety and broad size tunability, semiconductor quantum dots (0D-QDs) interfaced with 2D-TMDs may become an attractive heterostructure formore » optoelectronic applications. Here, we incorporate femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy to reveal the sub-45 fs charge transfer at a 2D/0D heterostructure composed of tungsten disulfide monolayers (2D-WS 2) and a single layer of cadmium selenide (CdSe)/zinc sulfide (ZnS) core/shell 0D-QDs. Furthermore, ultrafast dynamics and steady-state measurements suggested that following electron transfer from the 2D to the 0D, hybrid excitons (HXs), wherein the electron resides in the 0D and hole resides in the 2D-TMD monolayer, are formed with a binding energy on the order of ~140 meV, which is several times lower than that of tightly bound excitons in 2D-TMDs.« less

  16. Molecular Dynamics Simulations on Gas-Phase Proteins with Mobile Protons: Inclusion of All-Atom Charge Solvation.

    PubMed

    Konermann, Lars

    2017-08-31

    Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have become a key tool for examining the properties of electrosprayed protein ions. Traditional force fields employ static charges on titratable sites, whereas in reality, protons are highly mobile in gas-phase proteins. Earlier studies tackled this problem by adjusting charge patterns during MD runs. Within those algorithms, proton redistribution was subject to energy minimization, taking into account electrostatic and proton affinity contributions. However, those earlier approaches described (de)protonated moieties as point charges, neglecting charge solvation, which is highly prevalent in the gas phase. Here, we describe a mobile proton algorithm that considers the electrostatic contributions from all atoms, such that charge solvation is explicitly included. MD runs were broken down into 50 ps fixed-charge segments. After each segment, the electrostatics was reanalyzed and protons were redistributed. Challenges associated with computational cost were overcome by devising a streamlined method for electrostatic calculations. Avidin (a 504-residue protein complex) maintained a nativelike fold over 200 ns. Proton transfer and side chain rearrangements produced extensive salt bridge networks at the protein surface. The mobile proton technique introduced here should pave the way toward future studies on protein folding, unfolding, collapse, and subunit dissociation in the gas phase.

  17. Direct Observation of Charge Transfer at a MgO(111) Surface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Subramanian, A.; Marks, L. D.; Warschkow, O.; Ellis, D. E.

    2004-01-01

    Transmission electron diffraction (TED) combined with direct methods have been used to study the √(3)×√(3)R30° reconstruction on the polar (111) surface of MgO and refine the valence charge distribution. The surface is nonstoichiometric and is terminated by a single magnesium atom. A charge-compensating electron hole is localized in the next oxygen layer and there is a nominal charge transfer from the oxygen atoms to the top magnesium atom. The partial charges that we obtain for the surface atoms are in reasonable agreement with empirical bond-valence estimations.

  18. The role of solitons in charge and energy transfer in 1D molecular chains

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ivić , Zoran

    1998-03-01

    The idea that polarons and solitons could play the crucial role in the transport processes in biological structures, has been critically reexamined on the basis of the general theory of self-trapping phenomena. The criteria which enable one to determine conditions for the existence and stability of polarons and solitons and to determine their character, in dependence of the values of the basic physical parameters of the system, were formulated. Validity of the so-called Davydov's soliton model was discussed on the basis of these criteria. It was found that the original Davydov's proposal, based upon the idea of the soliton creation due to the single excitation (particle, vibron, etc.) self-trapping, cannot explain the intramolecular energy transfer in α-helix and acetanilide. However, Davydov theory is flexible enough to describe the single electron transfer in some systems (α-helix and acetanilide for example). In the many-particle systems, dressing effect, due to the quantum nature of phonons, may cause the creation of the bound states of the several excitons in the molecular chain. The possibility of creation of the soliton states of this type is discussed for the simple Fröhlich's one-dimensional model. The regions of the system parameter space where different mechanisms dominate the behaviour of such entities are characterized.

  19. TDDFT study of twisted intramolecular charge transfer and intermolecular double proton transfer in the excited state of 4‧-dimethylaminoflavonol in ethanol solvent

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Ye; Shi, Ying; Cong, Lin; Li, Hui

    2015-02-01

    Time-dependent density functional theory method at the def-TZVP/B3LYP level was employed to investigate the intramolecular and intermolecular hydrogen bonding dynamics in the first excited (S1) state of 4‧-dimethylaminoflavonol (DMAF) monomer and in ethanol solution. In the DMAF monomer, we demonstrated that the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) takes place in the S1 state. This excited state ICT process was followed by intramolecular proton transfer. Our calculated results are in good agreement with the mechanism proposed in experimental work. For the hydrogen-bonded DMAF-EtOH complex, it was demonstrated that the intermolecular hydrogen bonds can induce the formation of the twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) state and the conformational twisting is along the C3-C4 bond. Moreover, the intermolecular hydrogen bonds can also facilitate the intermolecular double proton transfer in the TICT state. A stepwise intermolecular double proton transfer process was revealed. Therefore, the intermolecular hydrogen bonds can alter the mechanism of intramolecular charge transfer and proton transfer in the excited state for the DMAF molecule.

  20. Bands dispersion and charge transfer in β-BeH2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trivedi, D. K.; Galav, K. L.; Joshi, K. B.

    2018-04-01

    Predictive capabilities of ab-initio method are utilised to explore bands dispersion and charge transfer in β-BeH2. Investigations are carried out using the linear combination of atomic orbitals method at the level of density functional theory. The crystal structure and related parameters are settled by coupling total energy calculations with the Murnaghan equation of state. Electronic bands dispersion from PBE-GGA is reported. The PBE-GGA, and PBE0 hybrid functional, show that β-BeH2 is a direct gap semiconductor with 1.18 and 2.40 eV band gap. The band gap slowly decreases with pressure and beyond l00 GPa overlap of conduction and valence bands at the r point is observed. Charge transfer is studied by means of Mullikan population analysis.

  1. A new battery-charging method suggested by molecular dynamics simulations.

    PubMed

    Abou Hamad, Ibrahim; Novotny, M A; Wipf, D O; Rikvold, P A

    2010-03-20

    Based on large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, we propose a new charging method that should be capable of charging a lithium-ion battery in a fraction of the time needed when using traditional methods. This charging method uses an additional applied oscillatory electric field. Our simulation results show that this charging method offers a great reduction in the average intercalation time for Li(+) ions, which dominates the charging time. The oscillating field not only increases the diffusion rate of Li(+) ions in the electrolyte but, more importantly, also enhances intercalation by lowering the corresponding overall energy barrier.

  2. Designing a Spin-one Mott Insulator: Complete Charge Transfer in Nickelate-Titanate Heterostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Hanghui; Marianetti, Chris; Millis, Andrew

    2013-03-01

    Ab initio calculations are performed to show that complete charge transfer may occur from the TiO2 to the NiO2 layers in (LaTiO3)1/(LaNiO3)1 superlattices. Although the two component materials are an S = 1 / 2 Mott insulator and a weakly correlated paramagnetic metal, strong correlation effects on Ni d states can render the superlattice an unusual S = 1 charge transfer insulator, with the Ti- d band empty, the Ni in the d8 state and the oxygen bands filled. The charge transfer gap is set by the Ti/Ni d level splitting. Magnetic, photoemission and x-ray scattering experiments are suggested to test the theory. The results show that heterostructuring can lead to very high levels of electron doping of oxides. This research was supported by the Army Research Office under ARO-Ph 56032 and DOE-ER-046169.

  3. Charge-transfer mechanisms for high-T/sub c/ superconductivity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jarrell, M.; Krishnamurthy, H.R.; Cox, D.L.

    1988-09-01

    We report results from a Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) analysis of the Weber d-d exciton model of the high-temperature superconductors. The pairing between oxygen holes is mediated by localized intrasite charge-transfer excitations between the d/sub x//sub <2/-y/sup =/ and the d/sub 3//sub z//sub <2/-r/sup =/ Cu orbitals. For reasonable oxygen on-site Coulomb energies, we find s-wave superconductivity for low filling fraction (<0.44), and d-wave superconductivity for larger filling. The same symmetry analysis applies to a localized version of the intersite Cu-O charge-transfer model of Varma, Schmitt-Rink, and Abrahams. We explore the limitations imposed by the Weber model symmetry, and interpret optical datamore » based upon the d-d exciton picture. We briefly discuss the suppression of antiferromagnetism of the Cu moments by the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yoshida interaction in the metallic limit.« less

  4. Charge transfer in photorechargeable composite films of TiO2 and polyaniline

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nomiyama, Teruaki; Sasabe, Kenichi; Sakamoto, Kenta; Horie, Yuji

    2015-07-01

    A photorechargeable battery (PRB) is a photovoltaic device having an energy storage function in a single cell. The photoactive electrode of PRB is a bilayer film consisting of bare porous TiO2 and a TiO2-polyaniline (PANi) mixture that work as a photovoltaic current generator and an electrochemical energy storage by ion dedoping, respectively. To study the charge transfer between TiO2 and PANi, the photorechargeable quantum efficiency QE ([electron count on discharge]/[incident photon count on photocharge]) was measured by varying the thickness LS of the TiO2-PANi mixture. The quantum efficiency QEuv for UV photons had a maximum of ˜7% at LS ˜ 7 µm. The time constant τTP for the charge transfer was about 10-1 s, which was longer ten times or more than the lifetime of excited electrons within TiO2. These facts reveal that the main rate-limiting factor in the photocharging process is the charge transfer between TiO2 and PANi.

  5. Investigation of charge-transfer hydrogen bonding interaction of 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN) and 4-(2-Pyridylazo)resorcinol (PAR) with chloranilic acid through experimental and DFT studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karmakar, Animesh; Singh, Bula

    2018-07-01

    The H-bonding interaction of 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN) and 4-(2-Pyridylazo) resorcinol (PAR) with chloranilic acid (CLA) have been considered spectroscopically in methanol solvent. PAN and PAR were used as a ligand and this two ligands has diverse application in spectrophotometric, chelatometric analysis of different metal ions. However, it is seen as of the literature analysis that no molecular complex of PAN and PAR with CLA was reported. The creation of charge-transfer H-bonded adduct gives a outlook to progress the physico-chemical scenery of the donor. So the complex of PAN and PAR with chloranilic acid was recounted in this work in methanol medium. Both the hydrogen-bonded molecular complexes have been prepared and identified using 1H NMR, FT-IR, and elemental analysis. Spectroscopic data point out that PAN and PAR discretely interact with CLA by a physically potent H-bonding interaction. The thermal constancy of the above molecular complexes has been determined by TGA-DTA analysis. The computational calculation also supported the development of the H-bonded charge-transfer adduct.

  6. Correlating electronic and vibrational motions in charge transfer systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Khalil, Munira

    2014-06-27

    The goal of this research program was to measure coupled electronic and nuclear motions during photoinduced charge transfer processes in transition metal complexes by developing and using novel femtosecond spectroscopies. The scientific highlights and the resulting scientific publications from the DOE supported work are outlined in the technical report.

  7. Molecular level energy and electron transfer processes at nanocrystalline titanium dioxide interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Farzad, Fereshteh

    This thesis describes photo-induced molecular electron and energy transfer processes occurring at nanocrystalline semiconductor interfaces. The Introductory Chapter provides background and describes how these materials may be useful for solar energy conversion. In Chapter 2, results describing excitation of Ru(deeb)(bpy)2 2+, bis(2,2'-bipyridine)(2,2'-bipyridine-4,4 '-diethylester)ruthenium(II) hexafluorophosphate, bound to nanocrystalline TiO2 thin films, immersed in an acetonitrile bath are presented. The data indicates that light excitation forms predominately long-lived metal-to-ligand charge-transfer, MLCT, excited states under these conditions. Modeling of the data as a function of irradiance has been accomplished assuming parallel unimolecular and bimolecular excited state deactivation processes. The quantum yield for excited state formation depends on the excitation irradiance, consistent with triplet-triplet annihilation processes that occur with k > 1 x 108 s-1. Chapter 3 extends the work described in Chapter 2 to LiClO4 acetonitrile solutions. Li+ addition results in a red shift in the MLCT absorption and photoluminescence, PL, and a concentration dependent quenching of the PL intensity on TiO2. The Li+ induced spectroscopic changes were found to be reversible by varying the electrolyte composition. A second-order kinetic model quantified charge recombination transients. A model is proposed wherein Li+ ion adsorption stabilizes TiO2 acceptor states resulting in energetically more favorable interfacial electron transfer. The photophysical and photoelectrochemical properties of porous nanocrystalline anatase TiO2 electrodes modified with Ru(deeb)(bpy)2 2+, Os(deeb)(bpy)22+, and mixtures of both are described in Chapters 4 and 5. In regenerative solar cells with 0.5 M LiI/0.05 M I2 acetonitrile electrolyte, both compounds efficiently inject electrons into TiO2 producing monochromatic incident photon-to-current efficiencies (IPCE), IPCE (460 nm) = 0.70 + 0

  8. Pattern classification using charge transfer devices

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1980-01-01

    The feasibility of using charge transfer devices in the classification of multispectral imagery was investigated by evaluating particular devices to determine their suitability in matrix multiplication subsystem of a pattern classifier and by designing a protype of such a system. Particular attention was given to analog-analog correlator devices which consist of two tapped delay lines, chip multipliers, and a summed output. The design for the classifier and a printed circuit layout for the analog boards were completed and the boards were fabricated. A test j:g for the board was built and checkout was begun.

  9. Charge Inversion by Electrostatic Complexation: Molecular Dynamics Simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faraudo, Jordi; Travesset, Alex

    2007-03-01

    Ions near interfaces play an important role in many biological and physico-chemical processes and exhibit a fascinating diverse range of phenomena. A relevant example is charge inversion, where interfacial charges attract counterions in excess of their own nominal charge, thus leading to an inversion of the sign of the interfacial charge. In this work, we argue that in the case of amphiphilic interfaces, charge inversion can be generated by complexation, that is, electrostatic complexes containing several counterions bound to amphiphilic molecules. The formation of these complexes require the presence at the interface of groups with conformational degrees of freedom with many electronegative atoms. We illustrate this mechanism by analyzing all atomic molecular dynamics simulations of a DMPA (Dimirystoil-Phosphatidic acid) phospholipid monolayer in contact with divalent counterions. The results are found to be in agreement with recent experimental results on Langmuir monolayers. We also discuss the implications for biological systems, as Phosphatidic acid is emerging as a key signaling phospholipid.

  10. Self-Consistent Determination of Atomic Charges of Ionic Liquid through a Combination of Molecular Dynamics Simulation and Density Functional Theory.

    PubMed

    Ishizuka, Ryosuke; Matubayasi, Nobuyuki

    2016-02-09

    A self-consistent scheme is developed to determine the atomic partial charges of ionic liquid. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was conducted to sample a set of ion configurations, and these configurations were subject to density functional theory (DFT) calculations to determine the partial charges. The charges were then averaged and used as inputs for the subsequent MD simulation, and MD and DFT calculations were repeated until the MD results are not altered any more. We applied this scheme to 1,3-dimethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide ([C1mim][NTf2]) and investigated its structure and dynamics as a function of temperature. At convergence, the average ionic charges were ±0.84 e at 350 K due to charge transfer among ions, where e is the elementary charge, while the reduced ionic charges do not affect strongly the density of [C1mim][NTf2] and radial distribution function. Instead, major effects are found on the energetics and dynamics, with improvements of the overestimated heat of vaporization and the too slow motions of ions observed in MD simulations using commonly used force fields.

  11. Charge transfer interactions in oligomer coated gold nanoclusters

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Newmai, M. Boazbou; Kumar, Pandian Senthil, E-mail: duplasmonics@gmail.com

    Gold nanoclusters were synthesized by a bottom-up synergistic approach of in-situ oligomerization of the monomer, N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP) and simultaneous weak reduction of Au-NVP complexes in the absence of any other external energy sources, thereby making these tiny gold clusters as the most elemental building blocks to construct further novel nano/microstructures with application potentials. It is well-known that metal clusters with less than 2 nm size do not show the usual surface plasmon band, because of the presence of a band-gap at the fermi level. Nevertheless, our present oligomer coated gold clusters show a discrete intense band at around 630 nm, whichmore » could very well be attributed to the charge transfer between the oligomer chain and the surface Au atoms. Such kind of sacrificial plasmon induced charge transfer interaction, observed for the very first time to the best of our knowledge, were also strongly corroborated through the enhancement / shifting of specific vibrational / rotational peaks as observed from the FTIR and Raman measurements as a function of the metal oxidation states, thus representing a new prototype for an efficient solar energy conversion probe.« less

  12. Carbon-, sulfur-, and phosphorus-based charge transfer reactions in inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grindlay, Guillermo; Gras, Luis; Mora, Juan; de Loos-Vollebregt, Margaretha T. C.

    2016-01-01

    In this work, the influence of carbon-, sulfur-, and phosphorus-based charge transfer reactions on the emission signal of 34 elements (Ag, Al, As, Au, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Hg, I, In, Ir, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Pd, Pt, S, Sb, Se, Sr, Te, and Zn) in axially viewed inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry has been investigated. To this end, atomic and ionic emission signals for diluted glycerol, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid solutions were registered and results were compared to those obtained for a 1% w w- 1 nitric acid solution. Experimental results show that the emission intensities of As, Se, and Te atomic lines are enhanced by charge transfer from carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus ions. Iodine and P atomic emission is enhanced by carbon- and sulfur-based charge transfer whereas the Hg atomic emission signal is enhanced only by carbon. Though signal enhancement due to charge transfer reactions is also expected for ionic emission lines of the above-mentioned elements, no experimental evidence has been found with the exception of Hg ionic lines operating carbon solutions. The effect of carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus charge transfer reactions on atomic emission depends on (i) wavelength characteristics. In general, signal enhancement is more pronounced for electronic transitions involving the highest upper energy levels; (ii) plasma experimental conditions. The use of robust conditions (i.e. high r.f. power and lower nebulizer gas flow rates) improves carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus ionization in the plasma and, hence, signal enhancement; and (iii) the presence of other concomitants (e.g. K or Ca). Easily ionizable elements reduce ionization in the plasma and consequently reduce signal enhancement due to charge transfer reactions.

  13. Ultrarapid electrophoretic transfer of high and low molecular weight proteins using heat.

    PubMed

    Kurien, Biji T; Scofield, R Hal

    2009-01-01

    An ultrarapid method for the electrophoretic transfer of high and low molecular weight proteins to nitrocellulose membranes following sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel is described here. The transfer was performed with heated (70-75 degrees C) normal transfer buffer from which methanol had been omitted. Complete transfer of high and low molecular weight antigens (molecular weight protein standards, a purified protein, and proteins from a human tissue extract) could be carried out in 10 min for a 7% (0.75 mm) SDS polyacrylamide gel. For 10 and 12.5% gels (0.75 mm) the corresponding time was 15 min. A complete transfer could be carried out in 20 min for 7, 10, and 12.5% gels (1.5 mm gels). The permeability of the gel is increased by heat, such that the proteins trapped in the polyacrylamide gel matrix can be easily transferred to the membrane. The heat mediated transfer method was compared with a conventional transfer protocol, under similar conditions. The conventional method transferred minimal low molecular weight proteins while retaining most of the high molecular weight proteins in the gel. In summary, this procedure is particularly useful for the transfer of high molecular weight proteins, very rapid, and avoids the use of methanol.

  14. A simple model of solvent-induced symmetry-breaking charge transfer in excited quadrupolar molecules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ivanov, Anatoly I.; Dereka, Bogdan; Vauthey, Eric

    2017-04-01

    A simple model has been developed to describe the symmetry-breaking of the electronic distribution of AL-D-AR type molecules in the excited state, where D is an electron donor and AL and AR are identical acceptors. The origin of this process is usually associated with the interaction between the molecule and the solvent polarization that stabilizes an asymmetric and dipolar state, with a larger charge transfer on one side than on the other. An additional symmetry-breaking mechanism involving the direct Coulomb interaction of the charges on the acceptors is proposed. At the same time, the electronic coupling between the two degenerate states, which correspond to the transferred charge being localised either on AL or AR, favours a quadrupolar excited state with equal amount of charge-transfer on both sides. Because of these counteracting effects, symmetry breaking is only feasible when the electronic coupling remains below a threshold value, which depends on the solvation energy and the Coulomb repulsion energy between the charges located on AL and AR. This model allows reproducing the solvent polarity dependence of the symmetry-breaking reported recently using time-resolved infrared spectroscopy.

  15. Possible charge analogues of spin transfer torques in bulk superconductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garate, Ion

    2014-03-01

    Spin transfer torques (STT) occur when electric currents travel through inhomogeneously magnetized systems and are important for the motion of magnetic textures such as domain walls. Since superconductors are easy-plane ferromagnets in particle-hole (charge) space, it is natural to ask whether any charge duals of STT phenomena exist therein. We find that the superconducting analogue of the adiabatic STT vanishes in a bulk superconductor with a momentum-independent order parameter, while the superconducting counterpart of the nonadiabatic STT does not vanish. This nonvanishing superconducting torque is induced by heat (rather than charge) currents and acts on the charge (rather than spin) degree of freedom. It can become significant in the vicinity of the superconducting transition temperature, where it generates a net quasiparticle charge and alters the dispersion and linewidth of low-frequency collective modes. This work has been financially supported by Canada's NSERC.

  16. Improved Charge-Transfer Fluorescent Dyes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Meador, Michael

    2005-01-01

    Improved charge-transfer fluorescent dyes have been developed for use as molecular probes. These dyes are based on benzofuran nuclei with attached phenyl groups substituted with, variously, electron donors, electron acceptors, or combinations of donors and acceptors. Optionally, these dyes could be incorporated as parts of polymer backbones or as pendant groups or attached to certain surfaces via self-assembly-based methods. These dyes exhibit high fluorescence quantum yields -- ranging from 0.2 to 0.98, depending upon solvents and chemical structures. The wavelengths, quantum yields, intensities, and lifetimes of the fluorescence emitted by these dyes vary with (and, hence, can be used as indicators of) the polarities of solvents in which they are dissolved: In solvents of increasing polarity, fluorescence spectra shift to longer wavelengths, fluorescence quantum yields decrease, and fluorescence lifetimes increase. The wavelengths, quantum yields, intensities, and lifetimes are also expected to be sensitive to viscosities and/or glass-transition temperatures. Some chemical species -- especially amines, amino acids, and metal ions -- quench the fluorescence of these dyes, with consequent reductions in intensities, quantum yields, and lifetimes. As a result, the dyes can be used to detect these species. Another useful characteristic of these dyes is a capability for both two-photon and one-photon absorption. Typically, these dyes absorb single photons in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum (wavelengths < 400 nm) and emit photons in the long-wavelength ultraviolet, visible, and, when dissolved in some solvents, near-infrared regions. In addition, these dyes can be excited by two-photon absorption at near-infrared wavelengths (600 to 800 nm) to produce fluorescence spectra identical to those obtained in response to excitation by single photons at half the corresponding wavelengths (300 to 400 nm). While many prior fluorescent dyes exhibit high quantum yields

  17. Correlational Effects of the Molecular-Tilt Configuration and the Intermolecular van der Waals Interaction on the Charge Transport in the Molecular Junction.

    PubMed

    Shin, Jaeho; Gu, Kyungyeol; Yang, Seunghoon; Lee, Chul-Ho; Lee, Takhee; Jang, Yun Hee; Wang, Gunuk

    2018-06-25

    Molecular conformation, intermolecular interaction, and electrode-molecule contacts greatly affect charge transport in molecular junctions and interfacial properties of organic devices by controlling the molecular orbital alignment. Here, we statistically investigated the charge transport in molecular junctions containing self-assembled oligophenylene molecules sandwiched between an Au probe tip and graphene according to various tip-loading forces ( F L ) that can control the molecular-tilt configuration and the van der Waals (vdW) interactions. In particular, the molecular junctions exhibited two distinct transport regimes according to the F L dependence (i.e., F L -dependent and F L -independent tunneling regimes). In addition, the charge-injection tunneling barriers at the junction interfaces are differently changed when the F L ≤ 20 nN. These features are associated to the correlation effects between the asymmetry-coupling factor (η), the molecular-tilt angle (θ), and the repulsive intermolecular vdW force ( F vdW ) on the molecular-tunneling barriers. A more-comprehensive understanding of these charge transport properties was thoroughly developed based on the density functional theory calculations in consideration of the molecular-tilt configuration and the repulsive vdW force between molecules.

  18. Mechanisms of charge transfer in human copper ATPases ATP7A and ATP7B.

    PubMed

    Tadini-Buoninsegni, Francesco; Smeazzetto, Serena

    2017-04-01

    ATP7A and ATP7B are Cu + -transporting ATPases of subclass IB and play a fundamental role in intracellular copper homeostasis. ATP7A/B transfer Cu + ions across the membrane from delivery to acceptor proteins without establishing a free Cu + gradient. Transfer of copper across the membrane is coupled to ATP hydrolysis. Current measurements on solid supported membranes (SSM) were performed to investigate the mechanism of copper-related charge transfer across ATP7A and ATP7B. SSM measurements demonstrated that electrogenic copper displacement occurs within ATP7A/B following addition of ATP and formation of the phosphorylated intermediate. Comparison of the time constants for cation displacement in ATP7A/B and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPase is consistent with the slower phosphoenzyme formation in copper ATPases. Moreover, ATP-dependent copper transfer in ATP7A/B is not affected by varying the pH, suggesting that net proton counter-transport may not occur in copper ATPases. Platinum anticancer drugs activate ATP7A/B and are subjected to ATP-dependent vectorial displacement with a mechanism analogous to that of copper. © 2016 IUBMB Life, 69(4):218-225, 2017. © 2017 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

  19. Enhanced nonlinear optical response of an endohedral metallofullerene through metal-to-cage charge transfer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heflin, J. R.; Marciu, D.; Figura, C.; Wang, S.; Burbank, P.; Stevenson, S.; Dorn, H. C.

    1998-06-01

    A new mechanism for increasing the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility, χ(3), is described for endohedral metallofullerenes. A two to three orders of magnitude increase in the nonlinear response is reported for degenerate four-wave mixing experiments conducted with solutions of Er2@C82 (isomer III) relative to empty-cage fullerenes. A value of -8.7×10-32esu is found for the molecular susceptibility, γxyyx, of Er2@C82 compared to previously reported values of γxxxx=3×10-34 esu and γxyyx=4×10-35 esu for C60. The results confirm the importance of the metal-to-cage charge-transfer mechanism for enhancing the nonlinear optical response in endohedral metallofullerenes.

  20. Ultrafast Charge Transfer of a Valence Double Hole in Glycine Driven Exclusively by Nuclear Motion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Zheng; Vendrell, Oriol; Santra, Robin

    2015-10-01

    We explore theoretically the ultrafast transfer of a double electron hole between the functional groups of glycine after K -shell ionization and subsequent Auger decay. Although a large energy gap of about 15 eV initially exists between the two electronic states involved and coherent electronic dynamics play no role in the hole transfer, we find that the double hole is transferred within 3 to 4 fs between both functional ends of the glycine molecule driven solely by specific nuclear displacements and non-Born-Oppenheimer effects. The nuclear displacements along specific vibrational modes are of the order of 15% of a typical chemical bond between carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen atoms and about 30% for bonds involving hydrogen atoms. The time required for the hole transfer corresponds to less than half a vibrational period of the involved nuclear modes. This finding challenges the common wisdom that nuclear dynamics of the molecular skeleton are unimportant for charge transfer processes at the few-femtosecond time scale and shows that they can even play a prominent role. It also indicates that in x-ray imaging experiments, in which ionization is unavoidable, valence electron redistribution caused by nuclear dynamics might be much faster than previously anticipated. Thus, non-Born-Oppenheimer effects may affect the apparent electron densities extracted from such measurements.

  1. Ultrafast Charge Transfer of a Valence Double Hole in Glycine Driven Exclusively by Nuclear Motion.

    PubMed

    Li, Zheng; Vendrell, Oriol; Santra, Robin

    2015-10-02

    We explore theoretically the ultrafast transfer of a double electron hole between the functional groups of glycine after K-shell ionization and subsequent Auger decay. Although a large energy gap of about 15 eV initially exists between the two electronic states involved and coherent electronic dynamics play no role in the hole transfer, we find that the double hole is transferred within 3 to 4 fs between both functional ends of the glycine molecule driven solely by specific nuclear displacements and non-Born-Oppenheimer effects. The nuclear displacements along specific vibrational modes are of the order of 15% of a typical chemical bond between carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen atoms and about 30% for bonds involving hydrogen atoms. The time required for the hole transfer corresponds to less than half a vibrational period of the involved nuclear modes. This finding challenges the common wisdom that nuclear dynamics of the molecular skeleton are unimportant for charge transfer processes at the few-femtosecond time scale and shows that they can even play a prominent role. It also indicates that in x-ray imaging experiments, in which ionization is unavoidable, valence electron redistribution caused by nuclear dynamics might be much faster than previously anticipated. Thus, non-Born-Oppenheimer effects may affect the apparent electron densities extracted from such measurements.

  2. Molecular structures and excited states of CpM(CO)(2) (Cp = eta(5)-C(5)H(5); M = Rh, Ir) and [Cl(2)Rh(CO)(2)](-). Theoretical evidence for a competitive charge transfer mechanism.

    PubMed

    Hu, Zhenming; Boyd, Russell J; Nakatsuji, Hiroshi

    2002-03-20

    Molecular structures and excited states of CpM(CO)(2) (Cp = eta(5)-C(5)H(5); M = Rh, Ir) and [Cl(2)Rh(CO)(2)](-) complexes have been investigated using the B3LYP and the symmetry-adapted cluster (SAC)/SAC-configuration interaction (SAC-CI) theoretical methods. All the dicarbonyl complexes have singlet ground electronic states with large singlet-triplet separations. Thermal dissociations of CO from the parent dicarbonyls are energetically unfavorable. CO thermal dissociation is an activation process for [Cl(2)Rh(CO)(2)](-) while it is a repulsive potential for CpM(CO)(2). The natures of the main excited states of CpM(CO)(2) and [Cl(2)Rh(CO)(2)](-) are found to be quite different. For [Cl(2)Rh(CO)(2)](-), all the strong transitions are identified to be metal to ligand CO charge transfer (MLCT) excitations. A significant feature of the excited states of CpM(CO)(2) is that both MLCT excitation and a ligand Cp to metal and CO charge transfer excitation are strongly mixed in the higher energy states with the latter having the largest oscillator strength. A competitive charge transfer excited state has therefore been identified theoretically for CpRh(CO)(2) and CpIr(CO)(2). The wavelength dependence of the quantum efficiencies for the photoreactions of CpM(CO)(2) reported by Lees et al. can be explained by the existence of two different types of excited states. The origin of the low quantum efficiencies for the C-H/S-H bond activations of CpM(CO)(2) can be attributed to the smaller proportion of the MLCT excitation in the higher energy states.

  3. Probe-based measurement of lateral single-electron transfer between individual molecules

    PubMed Central

    Steurer, Wolfram; Fatayer, Shadi; Gross, Leo; Meyer, Gerhard

    2015-01-01

    The field of molecular electronics aims at using single molecules as functional building blocks for electronics components, such as switches, rectifiers or transistors. A key challenge is to perform measurements with atomistic control over the alignment of the molecule and its contacting electrodes. Here we use atomic force microscopy to examine charge transfer between weakly coupled pentacene molecules on insulating films with single-electron sensitivity and control over the atomistic details. We show that, in addition to the imaging capability, the probe tip can be used to control the charge state of individual molecules and to detect charge transfers to/from the tip, as well as between individual molecules. Our approach represents a novel route for molecular charge transfer studies with a host of opportunities, especially in combination with single atom/molecule manipulation and nanopatterning techniques. PMID:26387533

  4. Ion-atom charge-transfer reactions and a hot intercloud medium. [in interstellar space

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Steigman, G.

    1975-01-01

    An investigation is conducted concerning the ionization equilibrium of carbon in a hot intercloud medium (ICM), taking into account various charge-transfer reactions. Attention is given to problems related to observations of carbon along the lines of sight to several unreddened stars. It is pointed out that the observed underabundance of C III and overabundance of C I can be consistent with the presence of a hot, partially ionized ICM, provided that two of the charge-transfer reactions considered are rapid at thermal energies.

  5. Elucidating the Charge Transfer Mechanism in Radical Polymer Thin Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mukherjee, Sanjoy; Boudouris, Bryan

    The active role of polymers in organic electronics has attracted significant attention in recent decades. Beyond conventional conjugated polymers, recently radical polymers have received a great deal of consideration by the community. Radical polymers are redox-active macromolecules with non-conjugated backbones functionalized with persistent radical sites. Because of their nascent nature, many open questions regarding the physics of their solid-state charge transfer mechanism still exist. In order to address these questions, well-defined radical polymers were synthesized and blended in a manner such that there was tight control over the radical density within the conducting thin films. We demonstrate that the systematic manipulation of the radical-to-radical spacing in open-shell macromolecules leads to exponential changes in the macroscopic electrical conductivity, and temperature-independent charge transport behaviour. Thus, a clear picture emerges that charge transfer in radical polymers is dictated by a tunnelling mechanism between proximal sites. This behavior is consistent with a distinct mechanism similar to redox reactions in biological media, but is unique relative to transport in common conjugated polymers. These results constitute the first experimental insight into the mechanism of solid-state electrical conduction in radical polymers.

  6. Improving radiation hardness in space-based Charge-Coupled Devices through the narrowing of the charge transfer channel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hall, D. J.; Skottfelt, J.; Soman, M. R.; Bush, N.; Holland, A.

    2017-12-01

    Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs) have been the detector of choice for imaging and spectroscopy in space missions for several decades, such as those being used for the Euclid VIS instrument and baselined for the SMILE SXI. Despite the many positive properties of CCDs, such as the high quantum efficiency and low noise, when used in a space environment the detectors suffer damage from the often-harsh radiation environment. High energy particles can create defects in the silicon lattice which act to trap the signal electrons being transferred through the device, reducing the signal measured and effectively increasing the noise. We can reduce the impact of radiation on the devices through four key methods: increased radiation shielding, device design considerations, optimisation of operating conditions, and image correction. Here, we concentrate on device design operations, investigating the impact of narrowing the charge-transfer channel in the device with the aim of minimising the impact of traps during readout. Previous studies for the Euclid VIS instrument considered two devices, the e2v CCD204 and CCD273, the serial register of the former having a 50 μm channel and the latter having a 20 μm channel. The reduction in channel width was previously modelled to give an approximate 1.6× reduction in charge storage volume, verified experimentally to have a reduction in charge transfer inefficiency of 1.7×. The methods used to simulate the reduction approximated the charge cloud to a sharp-edged volume within which the probability of capture by traps was 100%. For high signals and slow readout speeds, this is a reasonable approximation. However, for low signals and higher readout speeds, the approximation falls short. Here we discuss a new method of simulating and calculating charge storage variations with device design changes, considering the absolute probability of capture across the pixel, bringing validity to all signal sizes and readout speeds. Using this method, we

  7. Quantum mechanical calculations related to ionization and charge transfer in DNA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cauët, E.; Valiev, M.; Weare, J. H.; Liévin, J.

    2012-07-01

    Ionization and charge migration in DNA play crucial roles in mechanisms of DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation, oxidizing agents and photo-irradiation. Therefore, an evaluation of the ionization properties of the DNA bases is central to the full interpretation and understanding of the elementary reactive processes that occur at the molecular level during the initial exposure and afterwards. Ab initio quantum mechanical (QM) methods have been successful in providing highly accurate evaluations of key parameters, such as ionization energies (IE) of DNA bases. Hence, in this study, we performed high-level QM calculations to characterize the molecular energy levels and potential energy surfaces, which shed light on ionization and charge migration between DNA bases. In particular, we examined the IEs of guanine, the most easily oxidized base, isolated and embedded in base clusters, and investigated the mechanism of charge migration over two and three stacked guanines. The IE of guanine in the human telomere sequence has also been evaluated. We report a simple molecular orbital analysis to explain how modifications in the base sequence are expected to change the efficiency of the sequence as a hole trap. Finally, the application of a hybrid approach combining quantum mechanics with molecular mechanics brings an interesting discussion as to how the native aqueous DNA environment affects the IE threshold of nucleobases.

  8. Tunable Crystallinity and Charge Transfer in Two-Dimensional G-Quadruplex Organic Frameworks.

    PubMed

    Wu, Yi-Lin; Bobbitt, N Scott; Logsdon, Jenna L; Powers-Riggs, Natalia E; Nelson, Jordan N; Liu, Xiaolong; Wang, Timothy C; Snurr, Randall Q; Hupp, Joseph T; Farha, Omar K; Hersam, Mark C; Wasielewski, Michael R

    2018-04-03

    DNA G-quadruplex structures were recently discovered to provide reliable scaffolding for two-dimensional organic frameworks due to the strong hydrogen-bonding ability of guanine. Herein, 2,7-diaryl pyrene building blocks with high HOMO energies and large optical gaps are incorporated into G-quadruplex organic frameworks. The adjustable substitution on the aryl groups provides an opportunity to elucidate the framework formation mechanism; molecular non-planarity is found to be beneficial for restricting interlayer slippage, and the framework crystallinity is highest when intermolecular interaction and non-planarity strike a fine balance. When guanine-functionalized pyrenes are co-crystallized with naphthalene diimide, charge-transfer (CT) complexes are obtained. The photophysical properties of the pyrene-only and CT frameworks are characterized by UV/Vis and steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopies, and by EPR spectroscopy for the CT complex frameworks. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Ultrafast Charge Transfer in Nickel Phthalocyanine Probed by Femtosecond Raman-Induced Kerr Effect Spectroscopy

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    The recently developed technique of femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy, and its variant, femtosecond Raman-induced Kerr effect spectroscopy (FRIKES), offer access to ultrafast excited-state dynamics via structurally specific vibrational spectra. We have used FRIKES to study the photoexcitation dynamics of nickel(II) phthalocyanine with eight butoxy substituents, NiPc(OBu)8. NiPc(OBu)8 is reported to have a relatively long-lived ligand-to-metal charge-transfer (LMCT) state, an essential characteristic for efficient electron transfer in photocatalysis. Following photoexcitation, vibrational transitions in the FRIKES spectra, assignable to phthalocyanine ring modes, evolve on the femtosecond to picosecond time scales. Correlation of ring core size with the frequency of the ν10 (asymmetric C–N stretching) mode confirms the identity of the LMCT state, which has a ∼500 ps lifetime, as well as that of a precursor d-d excited state. An even earlier (∼0.2 ps) transient is observed and tentatively assigned to a higher-lying Jahn–Teller-active LMCT state. This study illustrates the power of FRIKES spectroscopy in elucidating ultrafast molecular dynamics. PMID:24841906

  10. Charge transfer and charge localization in extended radical cations: Investigation of model molecules for peptides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weinkauf, Rainer; Lehrer, Florian

    1998-12-01

    Molecules consisting of a flexible tail and an aromatic chromophore are used as model systems to understand the situation of a single chromophore in a small peptide. Their S0-S1 resonant multiphoton ionization (REMPI) spectra show, that in neutral molecules the tail-chromophore interaction is weak and electronic excitation is localized at the chromophore. For molecules, where the ionization energy of the tail is considerable higher than that of the chromophore, by high resolution REMPI photoelectron spectroscopy we find the charge to be localized on the aromatic chromophore. This scheme also in suitable peptides allows local ionization at the aromatic chromophore. An estimate for various charge positions in peptide chains, however, shows, that for most of the amino acids electron hole positions in the nitrogen and oxygen "lone pair" orbitals of the peptide bond are nearly degenerate. REMPI photoelectron spectra of phenylethylamine, which as a model system contains such two degenerate charge positions, show small energetic shift of the ionization energy but strong geometry changes upon electron removal. This result is interpreted as direct ionization into a mixed charge delocalized state. Consequences for the charge transfer mechanism in peptides are discussed.

  11. Charging-induced asymmetry in molecular conductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zahid, F.; Ghosh, A. W.; Paulsson, M.; Polizzi, E.; Datta, S.

    2004-12-01

    We investigate the origin of asymmetry in various measured current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of molecules with no inherent spatial asymmetry, with particular focus on a recent break junction measurement. We argue that such asymmetry arises due to unequal coupling with the contacts and a consequent difference in charging effects, which can only be captured in a self-consistent model for molecular conduction. The direction of the asymmetry depends on the sign of the majority carriers in the molecule. For conduction through highest occupied molecular orbitals (i.e., HOMO or p -type conduction), the current is smaller for positive voltage on the stronger contact, while for conduction through lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (i.e., LUMO or n -type conduction), the sense of the asymmetry is reversed. Within an extended Hückel description of the molecular chemistry and the contact microstructure (with two adjustable parameters, the position of the Fermi energy and the sulphur-gold bond length), an appropriate description of Poisson’s equation, and a self-consistently coupled nonequilibrium Green’s function description of transport, we achieve good agreement between theoretical and experimental I-V characteristics, both in shape as well as overall magnitude.

  12. Zigzag-Elongated Fused π-Electronic Core: A Molecular Design Strategy to Maximize Charge-Carrier Mobility.

    PubMed

    Yamamoto, Akito; Murata, Yoshinori; Mitsui, Chikahiko; Ishii, Hiroyuki; Yamagishi, Masakazu; Yano, Masafumi; Sato, Hiroyasu; Yamano, Akihito; Takeya, Jun; Okamoto, Toshihiro

    2018-01-01

    Printed and flexible electronics requires solution-processable organic semiconductors with a carrier mobility (μ) of ≈10 cm 2 V -1 s -1 as well as high chemical and thermal durability. In this study, chryseno[2,1- b :8,7- b ']dithiophene (ChDT) and its derivatives, which have a zigzag-elongated fused π-electronic core (π-core) and a peculiar highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) configuration, are reported as materials with conceptually new semiconducting π-cores. ChDT and its derivatives are prepared by a versatile synthetic procedure. A comprehensive investigation reveals that the ChDT π-core exhibits increasing structural stability in the bulk crystal phase, and that it is unaffected by a variation of the transfer integral, induced by the perpetual molecular motion of organic materials owing to the combination of its molecular shape and its particular HOMO configuration. Notably, ChDT derivatives exhibit excellent chemical and thermal stability, high charge-carrier mobility under ambient conditions (μ ≤ 10 cm 2 V -1 s -1 ), and a crystal phase that is highly stable, even at temperatures above 250 °C.

  13. Electronic and Vibrational Coherence in Charge-Transfer Reactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scherer, Norbert

    1996-03-01

    The ultrafast dynamics associated with optically-induced intervalence charge-transfer reactions in solution and protein environments are reported. These studies include the Fe^(II)-Fe^(III) MMCT complex Prussian blue and the mixed valence dimer (CN)_5Ru^(II)CNRuRu^(III)(NH_3)_5. The protein systems include blue copper proteins and the bacterial photosynthetic reaction center. The experimental approaches include photon echo, wavelength-resolved pump-probe and anisotropy measurements performed with 12-16fs duration optical pulses. Complicated time-domain waveforms reflect the several different p[rocesses and time scales for relaxation of coherences (both electronic and vibrational) and populations within these systems. The photon echo and anisotropy results probe electronic coherence and dephasing prior to back electron transfer. Wavelength-resolved pump-probe results reveal vibrational modes coupled to the CT-coordinate as well as formation of new product states or vibrational cooling in the ground state following back electron transfer.

  14. Charge transfer and adsorption-desorption kinetics in carbon nanotube and graphene gas sensing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Sang-Zi; Chen, Gugang; Harutyunyan, Avetik; Cole, Milton; Sofo, Jorge

    2014-03-01

    Detection of molecules in the gas phase by carbon nanotube and graphene has great application potentials due to the high sensitivity and surface-to-volume ratio. In chemiresistor, the conductance of the materials has been proposed to change as a result of charge transfer from the adsorbed molecules. Due to self-interaction errors, calculations using LDA or GGA density functionals have an innate disadvantage in dealing with charge transfer situations. A model which takes into consideration the dielectric interaction between the graphene surface and the molecule is employed to estimate the distance where charge transfer becomes favorable. Adsorption-desorption kinetics is studied with a modified Langmuir model, including sites from which the molecules do not desorb within the experimental time. Assuming a constant mobility, the model reproduces existing experimental conductance data. Its parameters provide information about the microscopic process during the detection and varying them allows optimization of aspects of sensor performance, including sensitivity, detection limit and response time. This work is supported by Honda Research Institute USA, Inc.

  15. Understanding the Charge Transfer at the Interface of Electron Donors and Acceptors: TTF–TCNQ as an Example

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Park, Changwon; Atalla, Viktor; Smith, Sean

    Charge transfer between an electron donor and an electron acceptor is widely accepted as being independent of their relative configurations if the interaction between them is weak; however, the limit of this concept for an interacting system has not yet been well established. Our study of prototypical electron donor–acceptor molecules, tetrathiafulvalene–tetracyanoquinodimethane, using density functional theory based on an advanced functional, clearly demonstrates that for interacting molecules, their configurational arrangement is as important as their individual electronic properties in the asymptotic limit to determine the charge transfer direction. For the first time, we demonstrate that by changing their relative orientation, onemore » can reverse the charge transfer direction of the pair, causing the molecules to exchange roles as donor and acceptor. In conclusion, our theory has important implications for understanding the interfacial charge-transfer mechanism of hybrid systems and related phenomena.« less

  16. Understanding the Charge Transfer at the Interface of Electron Donors and Acceptors: TTF–TCNQ as an Example

    DOE PAGES

    Park, Changwon; Atalla, Viktor; Smith, Sean; ...

    2017-06-16

    Charge transfer between an electron donor and an electron acceptor is widely accepted as being independent of their relative configurations if the interaction between them is weak; however, the limit of this concept for an interacting system has not yet been well established. Our study of prototypical electron donor–acceptor molecules, tetrathiafulvalene–tetracyanoquinodimethane, using density functional theory based on an advanced functional, clearly demonstrates that for interacting molecules, their configurational arrangement is as important as their individual electronic properties in the asymptotic limit to determine the charge transfer direction. For the first time, we demonstrate that by changing their relative orientation, onemore » can reverse the charge transfer direction of the pair, causing the molecules to exchange roles as donor and acceptor. In conclusion, our theory has important implications for understanding the interfacial charge-transfer mechanism of hybrid systems and related phenomena.« less

  17. The Case Against Charge Transfer Interactions in Dissolved Organic Matter Photophysics.

    PubMed

    McKay, Garrett; Korak, Julie A; Erickson, Paul R; Latch, Douglas E; McNeill, Kristopher; Rosario-Ortiz, Fernando L

    2018-01-16

    The optical properties of dissolved organic matter influence chemical and biological processes in all aquatic ecosystems. Dissolved organic matter optical properties have been attributed to a charge-transfer model in which donor-acceptor complexes play a primary role. This model was evaluated by measuring the absorbance and fluorescence response of organic matter isolates to changes in solvent temperature, viscosity, and polarity, which affect the position and intensity of spectra for known donor-acceptor complexes of organic molecules. Absorbance and fluorescence spectral shape were largely unaffected by these changes, indicating that the distribution of absorbing and emitting species was unchanged. Overall, these results call into question the wide applicability of the charge-transfer model for explaining organic matter optical properties and suggest that future research should explore other models for dissolved organic matter photophysics.

  18. Open-Circuit Voltage Losses in Selenium-Substituted Organic Photovoltaic Devices from Increased Density of Charge-Transfer States

    DOE PAGES

    Sulas, Dana B.; Yao, Kai; Intemann, Jeremy J.; ...

    2015-09-12

    Using an analysis based on Marcus theory, we characterize losses in open-circuit voltage (V OC) due to changes in charge-transfer state energy, electronic coupling, and spatial density of charge-transfer states in a series of polymer/fullerene solar cells. Here, we use a series of indacenodithiophene polymers and their selenium-substituted analogs as electron donor materials and fullerenes as the acceptors. By combining device measurements and spectroscopic studies (including subgap photocurrent, electroluminescence, and, importantly, time-resolved photoluminescence of the charge-transfer state) we are able to isolate the values for electronic coupling and the density of charge-transfer states (NCT), rather than the more commonly measuredmore » product of these values. We find values for NCT that are surprisingly large (~4.5 × 10 21–6.2 × 10 22 cm -3), and we find that a significant increase in N CT upon selenium substitution in donor polymers correlates with lower VOC for bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices. The increase in N CT upon selenium substitution is also consistent with nanoscale morphological characterization. Using transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, and grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering, we find evidence of more intermixed polymer and fullerene domains in the selenophene blends, which have higher densities of polymer/fullerene interfacial charge-transfer states. Our results provide an important step toward understanding the spatial nature of charge-transfer states and their effect on the open-circuit voltage of polymer/fullerene solar cells« less

  19. Photon-momentum transfer in molecular photoionization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chelkowski, Szczepan; Bandrauk, André D.

    2018-05-01

    In most models and theoretical calculations describing multiphoton ionization by infrared light, the dipole approximation is used. This is equivalent to setting the very small photon momentum to zero. Using numerical solutions of the (nondipole) three-dimensional time-dependent Schrödinger equation for one electron in a H2+ molecular ion we investigate the effect the photon-momentum transfer to the photoelectron in an H2+ ion in various regimes. We find that the photon-momentum transfer in a molecule is very different from the transfer in atoms due to two-center interference effects. The photon-momentum transfer is very sensitive to the symmetry of the initial electronic state and is strongly dependent on the internuclear distance and on the ellipticity of the laser.

  20. A molecular shift register based on electron transfer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hopfield, J. J.; Onuchic, Josenelson; Beratan, David N.

    1988-01-01

    An electronic shift-register memory at the molecular level is described. The memory elements are based on a chain of electron-transfer molecules and the information is shifted by photoinduced electron-transfer reactions. This device integrates designed electronic molecules onto a very large scale integrated (silicon microelectronic) substrate, providing an example of a 'molecular electronic device' that could actually be made. The design requirements for such a device and possible synthetic strategies are discussed. Devices along these lines should have lower energy usage and enhanced storage density.

  1. Hydrogen-transfer and charge-transfer in photochemical and radiation induced reactions. Progress report, November 1, 1975--October 31, 1976

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cohen, S.G.

    The relative importance of light absorption, quenching of triplet, and hydrogen transfer repair has been examined in retardation by mercaptans of photoreduction of aromatic ketones by alcohols. In the reduction of benzophenone by 2-propanol, retardation is efficient and, after correction for the first two effects, is due entirely to hydrogen-transfer repair, as indicated by deuterium labeling. In reduction of acetophenone by ..cap alpha..-methylbenzyl alcohol, repair by hydrogen transfer is also operative. In reduction of benzophenone by benzhydrol, retardation is less efficient and is due to quenching, as the ketyl radical does not abstract hydrogen from mercaptan rapidly in competition withmore » coupling. Deuterium isotope effects are discussed in terms of competitive reactions. Photoreduction of benzophenone by 2-butylamine and by triethylamine is retarded by aromatic mercaptans and disulfides. Of the retardation not due to light absorption and triplet quenching by the sulfur compounds, half is due to hydrogen-transfer repair, as indicated by racemization and deuterium labeling. The remainder is attributed to quenching by the sulfur compound of the charge-transfer-complex intermediate. Photoreduction by primary and secondary amines, but not by tertiary amines, is accelerated by aliphatic mercaptans. The acceleration is attributed to catalysis of hydrogen transfer by the mercaptan in the charge-transfer complex. The effect is large in hydrocarbon solvent, less in polar organic solvents and absent in water.« less

  2. Performing the Millikan experiment at the molecular scale: Determination of atomic Millikan-Thomson charges by computationally measuring atomic forces.

    PubMed

    Rogers, T Ryan; Wang, Feng

    2017-10-28

    An atomic version of the Millikan oil drop experiment is performed computationally. It is shown that for planar molecules, the atomic version of the Millikan experiment can be used to define an atomic partial charge that is free from charge flow contributions. We refer to this charge as the Millikan-Thomson (MT) charge. Since the MT charge is directly proportional to the atomic forces under a uniform electric field, it is the most relevant charge for force field developments. The MT charge shows good stability with respect to different choices of the basis set. In addition, the MT charge can be easily calculated even at post-Hartree-Fock levels of theory. With the MT charge, it is shown that for a planar water dimer, the charge transfer from the proton acceptor to the proton donor is about -0.052 e. While both planar hydrated cations and anions show signs of charge transfer, anions show a much more significant charge transfer to the hydration water than the corresponding cations. It might be important to explicitly model the ion charge transfer to water in a force field at least for the anions.

  3. Accumulative charge separation for solar fuels production: coupling light-induced single electron transfer to multielectron catalysis.

    PubMed

    Hammarström, Leif

    2015-03-17

    The conversion and storage of solar energy into a fuel holds promise to provide a significant part of the future renewable energy demand of our societies. Solar energy technologies today generate heat or electricity, while the large majority of our energy is used in the form of fuels. Direct conversion of solar energy to a fuel would satisfy our needs for storable energy on a large scale. Solar fuels can be generated by absorbing light and converting its energy to chemical energy by electron transfer leading to separation of electrons and holes. The electrons are used in the catalytic reduction of a cheap substrate with low energy content into a high-energy fuel. The holes are filled by oxidation of water, which is the only electron source available for large scale solar fuel production. Absorption of a single photon typically leads to separation of a single electron-hole pair. In contrast, fuel production and water oxidation are multielectron, multiproton reactions. Therefore, a system for direct solar fuel production must be able to accumulate the electrons and holes provided by the sequential absorption of several photons in order to complete the catalytic reactions. In this Account, the process is termed accumulative charge separation. This is considerably more complicated than charge separation on a single electron level and needs particular attention. Semiconductor materials and molecular dyes have for a long time been optimized for use in photovoltaic devices. Efforts are made to develop new systems for light harvesting and charge separation that are better optimized for solar fuel production than those used in the early devices presented so far. Significant progress has recently been made in the discovery and design of better homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts for solar fuels and water oxidation. While the heterogeneous ones perform better today, molecular catalysts based on transition metal complexes offer much greater tunability of electronic and

  4. Efficient algorithms for the simulation of non-adiabatic electron transfer in complex molecular systems: application to DNA.

    PubMed

    Kubař, Tomáš; Elstner, Marcus

    2013-04-28

    In this work, a fragment-orbital density functional theory-based method is combined with two different non-adiabatic schemes for the propagation of the electronic degrees of freedom. This allows us to perform unbiased simulations of electron transfer processes in complex media, and the computational scheme is applied to the transfer of a hole in solvated DNA. It turns out that the mean-field approach, where the wave function of the hole is driven into a superposition of adiabatic states, leads to over-delocalization of the hole charge. This problem is avoided using a surface hopping scheme, resulting in a smaller rate of hole transfer. The method is highly efficient due to the on-the-fly computation of the coarse-grained DFT Hamiltonian for the nucleobases, which is coupled to the environment using a QM/MM approach. The computational efficiency and partial parallel character of the methodology make it possible to simulate electron transfer in systems of relevant biochemical size on a nanosecond time scale. Since standard non-polarizable force fields are applied in the molecular-mechanics part of the calculation, a simple scaling scheme was introduced into the electrostatic potential in order to simulate the effect of electronic polarization. It is shown that electronic polarization has an important effect on the features of charge transfer. The methodology is applied to two kinds of DNA sequences, illustrating the features of transfer along a flat energy landscape as well as over an energy barrier. The performance and relative merit of the mean-field scheme and the surface hopping for this application are discussed.

  5. Electrochemical capacitance modulation in an interacting mesoscopic capacitor induced by internal charge transfer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Wei; He, Jianhong; Guo, Huazhong; Gao, Jie

    2018-04-01

    We report experiments on the dynamic response of an interacting mesoscopic capacitor consisting of a quantum dot with two confined spin-split levels of the lowest Landau level. In high magnetic fields, states inside the dot are regulated by a mixture of Coulomb interaction and Landau-level quantization, and electrons distribute on two spatially separated regions. Quantum point contact voltage and magnetic field are employed to manipulate the number and distribution of electrons inside the quantum dot. We find that the periodicity of the electrochemical capacitance oscillations is dominated by the charging energy, and their amplitudes, due to internal charge transfer and strong internal capacitive coupling, show rich variations of modulations. Magnetocapacitance displays a sawtoothlike manner and may differ in tooth directions for different voltages, which, we demonstrate, result from a sawtoothlike electrochemical potential change induced by internal charge transfer and field-sensitive electrostatic potential. We further build a charge stability diagram, which, together with all other capacitance properties, is consistently interpreted in terms of a double-dot model. The demonstrated technique is of interest as a tool for fast and sensitive charge state readout of a double-quantum-dot qubit in the gigahertz frequency quantum electronics.

  6. Field Effect Modulation of Heterogeneous Charge Transfer Kinetics at Back-Gated Two-Dimensional MoS2 Electrodes.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yan; Kim, Chang-Hyun; Yoo, Youngdong; Johns, James E; Frisbie, C Daniel

    2017-12-13

    The ability to improve and to modulate the heterogeneous charge transfer kinetics of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, such as MoS 2 , is a major challenge for electrochemical and photoelectrochemical applications of these materials. Here we report a continuous and reversible physical method for modulating the heterogeneous charge transfer kinetics at a monolayer MoS 2 working electrode supported on a SiO 2 /p-Si substrate. The heavily doped p-Si substrate serves as a back gate electrode; application of a gate voltage (V BG ) to p-Si tunes the electron occupation in the MoS 2 conduction band and shifts the conduction band edge position relative to redox species dissolved in electrolyte in contact with the front side of the MoS 2 . The gate modulation of both charge density and energy band alignment impacts charge transfer kinetics as measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Specifically, cyclic voltammograms combined with numerical simulations suggest that the standard heterogeneous charge transfer rate constant (k 0 ) for MoS 2 in contact with the ferrocene/ferrocenium (Fc 0/+ ) redox couple can be modulated by over 2 orders of magnitude from 4 × 10 -6 to 1 × 10 -3 cm/s, by varying V BG . In general, the field effect offers the potential to tune the electrochemical properties of 2D semiconductors, opening up new possibilities for fundamental studies of the relationship between charge transfer kinetics and independently controlled electronic band alignment and band occupation.

  7. Interfaces between strongly correlated oxides: controlling charge transfer and induced magnetism by hybridization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bibes, Manuel

    At interfaces between conventional materials, band bending and alignment are controlled by differences in electrochemical potential. Applying this concept to oxides in which interfaces can be polar and cations may adopt a mixed valence has led to the discovery of novel two-dimensional states between simple band insulators such as LaAlO3 and SrTiO3. However, many oxides have a more complex electronic structure, with charge, orbital and/or spin orders arising from correlations between transition metal and oxygen ions. Strong correlations thus offer a rich playground to engineer functional interfaces but their compatibility with the classical band alignment picture remains an open question. In this talk we will show that beyond differences in electron affinities and polar effects, a key parameter determining charge transfer at correlated oxide interfaces is the energy required to alter the covalence of the metal-oxygen bond. Using the perovskite nickelate (RNiO3) family as a template, we have probed charge reconstruction at interfaces with gadolinium titanate GdTiO3 using soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy and hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. We show that the charge transfer is thwarted by hybridization effects tuned by the rare-earth (R) size. Charge transfer results in an induced ferromagnetic-like state in the nickelate (observed by XMCD), exemplifying the potential of correlated interfaces to design novel phases. Further, our work clarifies strategies to engineer two-dimensional systems through the control of both doping and covalence. Work supported by ERC CoG MINT #615759.

  8. Ab initio modeling of excitonic and charge-transfer states in organic semiconductors: the PTB1/PCBM low band gap system.

    PubMed

    Borges, Itamar; Aquino, Adélia J A; Köhn, Andreas; Nieman, Reed; Hase, William L; Chen, Lin X; Lischka, Hans

    2013-12-11

    A detailed quantum chemical simulation of the excitonic and charge-transfer (CT) states of a bulk heterojunction model containing poly(thieno[3,4-b]thiophene benzodithiophene) (PTB1)/[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) is reported. The largest molecular model contains two stacked PTB1 trimer chains interacting with C60 positioned on top of and lateral to the (PTB1)3 stack. The calculations were performed using the algebraic diagrammatic construction method to second order (ADC(2)). One main result of the calculations is that the CT states are located below the bright inter-chain excitonic state, directly accessible via internal conversion processes. The other important aspects of the calculations are the formation of discrete bands of CT states originating from the lateral C60's and the importance of inter-chain charge delocalization for the stability of the CT states. A simple model for the charge separation step is also given, revealing the energetic feasibility of the overall photovoltaic process.

  9. Charge-transfer potentials for ionic crystals: Cauchy violation, LO-TO splitting, and the necessity of an ionic reference state.

    PubMed

    Sukhomlinov, Sergey V; Müser, Martin H

    2015-12-14

    In this work, we study how including charge transfer into force fields affects the predicted elastic and vibrational Γ-point properties of ionic crystals, in particular those of rock salt. In both analytical and numerical calculations, we find that charge transfer generally leads to a negative contribution to the Cauchy pressure, P(C) ≡ C12 - C66, where C12 and C66 are elements of the elastic tensor. This contribution increases in magnitude with pressure for different charge-transfer approaches in agreement with results obtained with density functional theory (DFT). However, details of the charge-transfer models determine the pressure dependence of the longitudinal optical-transverse optical splitting and that for partial charges. These last two quantities increase with density as long as the chemical hardness depends at most weakly on the environment while experiments and DFT find a decrease. In order to reflect the correct trends, the charge-transfer expansion has to be made around ions and the chemical (bond) hardness has to increase roughly exponentially with inverse density or bond lengths. Finally, the adjustable force-field parameters only turn out meaningful, when the expansion is made around ions.

  10. Charge-transfer potentials for ionic crystals: Cauchy violation, LO-TO splitting, and the necessity of an ionic reference state

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sukhomlinov, Sergey V.; Müser, Martin H.

    2015-12-01

    In this work, we study how including charge transfer into force fields affects the predicted elastic and vibrational Γ-point properties of ionic crystals, in particular those of rock salt. In both analytical and numerical calculations, we find that charge transfer generally leads to a negative contribution to the Cauchy pressure, PC ≡ C12 - C66, where C12 and C66 are elements of the elastic tensor. This contribution increases in magnitude with pressure for different charge-transfer approaches in agreement with results obtained with density functional theory (DFT). However, details of the charge-transfer models determine the pressure dependence of the longitudinal optical-transverse optical splitting and that for partial charges. These last two quantities increase with density as long as the chemical hardness depends at most weakly on the environment while experiments and DFT find a decrease. In order to reflect the correct trends, the charge-transfer expansion has to be made around ions and the chemical (bond) hardness has to increase roughly exponentially with inverse density or bond lengths. Finally, the adjustable force-field parameters only turn out meaningful, when the expansion is made around ions.

  11. Charge Transfer Inefficiency in Pinned Photodiode CMOS image sensors: Simple Montecarlo modeling and experimental measurement based on a pulsed storage-gate method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pelamatti, Alice; Goiffon, Vincent; Chabane, Aziouz; Magnan, Pierre; Virmontois, Cédric; Saint-Pé, Olivier; de Boisanger, Michel Breart

    2016-11-01

    The charge transfer time represents the bottleneck in terms of temporal resolution in Pinned Photodiode (PPD) CMOS image sensors. This work focuses on the modeling and estimation of this key parameter. A simple numerical model of charge transfer in PPDs is presented. The model is based on a Montecarlo simulation and takes into account both charge diffusion in the PPD and the effect of potential obstacles along the charge transfer path. This work also presents a new experimental approach for the estimation of the charge transfer time, called pulsed Storage Gate (SG) method. This method, which allows reproduction of a ;worst-case; transfer condition, is based on dedicated SG pixel structures and is particularly suitable to compare transfer efficiency performances for different pixel geometries.

  12. Spectral resolution of states relevant to photoinduced charge transfer in modified pentacene/ZnO field-effect transistors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spalenka, Josef W.; Mannebach, Ehren M.; Bindl, Dominick J.; Arnold, Michael S.; Evans, Paul G.

    2011-11-01

    Pentacene field-effect transistors incorporating ZnO quantum dots can be used as a sensitive probe of the optical properties of a buried donor-acceptor interface. Photoinduced charge transfer between pentacene and ZnO in these devices varies with incident photon energy and reveals which energies will contribute most to charge transfer in other structures. A subsequent slow return to the dark state following the end of illumination arises from near-interface traps. Charge transfer has a sharp onset at 1.7 eV and peaks at 1.82 and 2.1 eV due to transitions associated with excitons, features absent in pentacene FETs without ZnO.

  13. Electronegativity, charge transfer, crystal field strength, and the point charge model revisited.

    PubMed

    Tanner, Peter A; Ning, Lixin

    2013-02-21

    Although the optical spectra of LnCl(6)(3-) systems are complex, only two crystal field parameters, B(40) and B(60), are required to model the J-multiplet crystal field splittings in octahedral symmetry. It is found that these parameters exhibit R(-5) and R(-7) dependence, respectively, upon the ionic radius Ln(3+)(VI), but not upon the Ln-Cl distance. More generally, the crystal field strengths of LnX(6) systems (X = Br, Cl, F, O) exhibit linear relationships with ligand electronegativity, charge transfer energy, and fractional ionic character of the Ln-X bond.

  14. Delayed Triplet-State Formation through Hybrid Charge Transfer Exciton at Copper Phthalocyanine/GaAs Heterojunction.

    PubMed

    Lim, Heeseon; Kwon, Hyuksang; Kim, Sang Kyu; Kim, Jeong Won

    2017-10-05

    Light absorption in organic molecules on an inorganic substrate and subsequent electron transfer to the substrate create so-called hybrid charge transfer exciton (HCTE). The relaxation process of the HCTE states largely determines charge separation efficiency or optoelectronic device performance. Here, the study on energy and time-dispersive behavior of photoelectrons at the hybrid interface of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc)/p-GaAs(001) upon light excitation of GaAs reveals a clear pathway for HCTE relaxation and delayed triplet-state formation. According to the ground-state energy level alignment at the interface, CuPc/p-GaAs(001) shows initially fast hole injection from GaAs to CuPc. Thus, the electrons in GaAs and holes in CuPc form an unusual HCTE state manifold. Subsequent electron transfer from GaAs to CuPc generates the formation of the triplet state in CuPc with a few picoseconds delay. Such two-step charge transfer causes delayed triplet-state formation without singlet excitation and subsequent intersystem crossing within the CuPc molecules.

  15. Charging of Proteins in Native Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Susa, Anna C.; Xia, Zijie; Tang, Henry Y. H.; Tainer, John A.; Williams, Evan R.

    2017-02-01

    Factors that influence the charging of protein ions formed by electrospray ionization from aqueous solutions in which proteins have native structures and function were investigated. Protein ions ranging in molecular weight from 12.3 to 79.7 kDa and pI values from 5.4 to 9.6 were formed from different solutions and reacted with volatile bases of gas-phase basicities higher than that of ammonia in the cell of a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. The charge-state distribution of cytochrome c ions formed from aqueous ammonium or potassium acetate is the same. Moreover, ions formed from these two solutions do not undergo proton transfer to 2-fluoropyridine, which is 8 kcal/mol more basic than ammonia. These results provide compelling evidence that proton transfer between ammonia and protein ions does not limit protein ion charge in native electrospray ionization. Both circular dichroism and ion mobility measurements indicate that there are differences in conformations of proteins in pure water and aqueous ammonium acetate, and these differences can account for the difference in the extent of charging and proton-transfer reactivities of protein ions formed from these solutions. The extent of proton transfer of the protein ions with higher gas-phase basicity bases trends with how closely the protein ions are charged to the value predicted by the Rayleigh limit for spherical water droplets approximately the same size as the proteins. These results indicate that droplet charge limits protein ion charge in native mass spectrometry and are consistent with these ions being formed by the charged residue mechanism.

  16. Communication: Correct charge transfer in CT complexes from the Becke'05 density functional

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Becke, Axel D.; Dale, Stephen G.; Johnson, Erin R.

    2018-06-01

    It has been known for over twenty years that density functionals of the generalized-gradient approximation (GGA) type and exact-exchange-GGA hybrids with low exact-exchange mixing fraction yield enormous errors in the properties of charge-transfer (CT) complexes. Manifestations of this error have also plagued computations of CT excitation energies. GGAs transfer far too much charge in CT complexes. This error has therefore come to be called "delocalization" error. It remains, to this day, a vexing unsolved problem in density-functional theory (DFT). Here we report that a 100% exact-exchange-based density functional known as Becke'05 or "B05" [A. D. Becke, J. Chem. Phys. 119, 2972 (2003); 122, 064101 (2005)] predicts excellent charge transfers in classic CT complexes involving the electron donors NH3, C2H4, HCN, and C2H2 and electron acceptors F2 and Cl2. Our approach is variational, as in our recent "B05min" dipole moments paper [Dale et al., J. Chem. Phys. 147, 154103 (2017)]. Therefore B05 is not only an accurate DFT for thermochemistry but is promising as a solution to the delocalization problem as well.

  17. Large Modulation of Charge Carrier Mobility in Doped Nanoporous Organic Transistors.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Fengjiao; Dai, Xiaojuan; Zhu, Weikun; Chung, Hyunjoong; Diao, Ying

    2017-07-01

    Molecular doping of organic electronics has shown promise to sensitively modulate important device metrics. One critical challenge is the disruption of structure order upon doping of highly crystalline organic semiconductors, which significantly reduces the charge carrier mobility. This paper demonstrates a new method to achieve large modulation of charge carrier mobility via channel doping without disrupting the molecular ordering. Central to the method is the introduction of nanopores into the organic semiconductor thin films via a simple and robust templated meniscus-guided coating method. Using this method, the charge carrier mobility of C 8 -benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene transistors is boosted by almost sevenfold. This paper further demonstrates enhanced electron transport by close to an order of magnitude in a diketopyrrolopyrrole-based donor-acceptor polymer. Combining spectroscopic measurements, density functional theory calculations, and electrical characterizations, the doping mechanism is identified as partial-charge-transfer induced trap filling. The nanopores serve to enhance the dopant/organic semiconductor charge transfer reaction by exposing the π-electrons to the pore wall. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Large Modulation of Charge Carrier Mobility in Doped Nanoporous Organic Transistors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhang, Fengjiao; Dai, Xiaojuan; Zhu, Weikun

    Molecular doping of organic electronics has shown promise to sensitively modulate important device metrics. One critical challenge is the disruption of structure order upon doping of highly crystalline organic semiconductors, which significantly reduces the charge carrier mobility. This paper demonstrates a new method to achieve large modulation of charge carrier mobility via channel doping without disrupting the molecular ordering. Central to the method is the introduction of nanopores into the organic semiconductor thin films via a simple and robust templated meniscus-guided coating method. Using this method, the charge carrier mobility of C8-benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene transistors is boosted by almost sevenfold. This papermore » further demonstrates enhanced electron transport by close to an order of magnitude in a diketopyrrolopyrrole-based donor–acceptor polymer. Combining spectroscopic measurements, density functional theory calculations, and electrical characterizations, the doping mechanism is identified as partial-charge-transfer induced trap filling. The nanopores serve to enhance the dopant/organic semiconductor charge transfer reaction by exposing the π-electrons to the pore wall.« less

  19. Anion-cation charge-transfer properties and spectral studies of [M(phen)3][Cd4(SPh)10] (M = Ru, Fe, and Ni).

    PubMed

    Jiang, Jian-Bing; Bian, Guo-Qing; Zhang, Ya-Ping; Luo, Wen; Zhu, Qin-Yu; Dai, Jie

    2011-10-07

    Three anion-cation compounds 1-3 with formula [M(phen)(3)][Cd(4)(SPh)(10)]·Sol (M = Ru(2+), Fe(2+), and Ni(2+), Sol = MeCN and H(2)O) have been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal analysis. Both the cations and anion are well-known ions, but the properties of the co-assembled compounds are interesting. Molecular structures and charge-transfer between the cations and anions in crystal and even in solution are discussed. These compounds are isomorphous and short inter-ion interactions are found in these crystals, such as π···π stacking and C-H···π contacts. Both spectroscopic and theoretical calculated results indicate that there is anion-cation charge-transfer (ACCT) between the Ru-phen complex dye and the Cd-SPh cluster, which plays an important role in their photophysical properties. The intensity of the fluorescent emission of the [Ru(phen)(3)](2+) is enhanced when the cation interacts with the [Cd(4)(SPh)(10)](2-) anion. The mechanism for the enhancement of photoluminescence has been proposed.

  20. Dynamics of Charge Transfer in DNA Wires: A Proton-Coupled Approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Behnia, Sohrab; Fathizadeh, Samira; Ziaei, Javid; Akhshani, Afshin

    2017-12-01

    The advent of molecular electronics has fueled interest in studying DNA as a nanowire. The well-known Peyrard-Bishop-Dauxois (PBD) model, which was proposed for the purpose of understanding the mechanism of DNA denaturation, has a limited number of degrees of freedom. In addition, considering the Peyrard-Bishop-Holstein (PBH) model as a means of studying the charge transfer effect, in which the dynamical motion is described via the PBD model, may apply limitations on observing all the phenomena. Therefore, we have attempted to add the mutual interaction of a proton and electron in the form of proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) to the PBH model. PCET has been implicated in a variety of oxidative processes that ultimately lead to mutations. When we have considered the PCET approach to DNA based on a proton-combined PBH model, we were able to extract the electron and proton currents independently. In this case, the reciprocal influence of electron and proton current is considered. This interaction does not affect the general form of the electronic current in DNA, but it changes the threshold of the occurrence of phenomena such as negative differential resistance. It is worth mentioning that perceiving the structural properties of the attractors in phase space via the Rényi dimension and concentrating on the critical regions through a scalogram can present a clear picture of the critical points in such phenomena.

  1. Azimuthally and radially excited charge transfer plasmon and Fano lineshapes in conductive sublayer-mediated nanoassemblies.

    PubMed

    Ahmadivand, Arash; Gerislioglu, Burak; Pala, Nezih

    2017-11-01

    Here, the plasmon responses of both symmetric and antisymmetric oligomers on a conductive substrate under linear, azimuthal, and radial polarization excitations are analyzed numerically. By observing charge transfer plasmons under cylindrical vector beam (CVB) illumination for what we believe is the first time, we show that our studies open new horizons to induce significant charge transfer plasmons and antisymmetric Fano resonance lineshapes in metallic substrate-mediated plasmonic nanoclusters under both azimuthal and radial excitation as CVBs.

  2. Charge transfer in dissociating iodomethane and fluoromethane molecules ionized by intense femtosecond X-ray pulses

    PubMed Central

    Boll, Rebecca; Erk, Benjamin; Coffee, Ryan; Trippel, Sebastian; Kierspel, Thomas; Bomme, Cédric; Bozek, John D.; Burkett, Mitchell; Carron, Sebastian; Ferguson, Ken R.; Foucar, Lutz; Küpper, Jochen; Marchenko, Tatiana; Miron, Catalin; Patanen, Minna; Osipov, Timur; Schorb, Sebastian; Simon, Marc; Swiggers, Michelle; Techert, Simone; Ueda, Kiyoshi; Bostedt, Christoph; Rolles, Daniel; Rudenko, Artem

    2016-01-01

    Ultrafast electron transfer in dissociating iodomethane and fluoromethane molecules was studied at the Linac Coherent Light Source free-electron laser using an ultraviolet-pump, X-ray-probe scheme. The results for both molecules are discussed with respect to the nature of their UV excitation and different chemical properties. Signatures of long-distance intramolecular charge transfer are observed for both species, and a quantitative analysis of its distance dependence in iodomethane is carried out for charge states up to I21+. The reconstructed critical distances for electron transfer are in good agreement with a classical over-the-barrier model and with an earlier experiment employing a near-infrared pump pulse. PMID:27051675

  3. Charge Transfer Effect on Raman and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy of Furfural Molecules.

    PubMed

    Wan, Fu; Shi, Haiyang; Chen, Weigen; Gu, Zhaoliang; Du, Lingling; Wang, Pinyi; Wang, Jianxin; Huang, Yingzhou

    2017-08-02

    The detection of furfural in transformer oil through surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is one of the most promising online monitoring techniques in the process of transformer aging. In this work, the Raman of individual furfural molecules and SERS of furfural-M x (M = Ag, Au, Cu) complexes are investigated through density functional theory (DFT). In the Raman spectrum of individual furfural molecules, the vibration mode of each Raman peak is figured out, and the deviation from experimental data is analyzed by surface charge distribution. In the SERS of furfural-M x complexes, the influence of atom number and species on SERS chemical enhancement factors (EFs) are studied, and are further analyzed by charge transfer effect. Our studies strengthen the understanding of charge transfer effect in the SERS of furfural molecules, which is important in the online monitoring of the transformer aging process through SERS.

  4. Charge Transfer Effect on Raman and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy of Furfural Molecules

    PubMed Central

    Wan, Fu; Shi, Haiyang; Chen, Weigen; Gu, Zhaoliang; Du, Lingling; Wang, Pinyi; Wang, Jianxin

    2017-01-01

    The detection of furfural in transformer oil through surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is one of the most promising online monitoring techniques in the process of transformer aging. In this work, the Raman of individual furfural molecules and SERS of furfural-Mx (M = Ag, Au, Cu) complexes are investigated through density functional theory (DFT). In the Raman spectrum of individual furfural molecules, the vibration mode of each Raman peak is figured out, and the deviation from experimental data is analyzed by surface charge distribution. In the SERS of furfural-Mx complexes, the influence of atom number and species on SERS chemical enhancement factors (EFs) are studied, and are further analyzed by charge transfer effect. Our studies strengthen the understanding of charge transfer effect in the SERS of furfural molecules, which is important in the online monitoring of the transformer aging process through SERS. PMID:28767053

  5. Crater Formation on Electrodes during Charge Transfer with Aqueous Droplets or Solid Particles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elton, Eric S.; Rosenberg, Ethan R.; Ristenpart, William D.

    2017-11-01

    We report that metallic electrodes are physically pitted during charge transfer events with water droplets or other conductive objects moving in strong electric fields (>1 kV/cm). Post situ microscopic inspection of the electrode shows that an individual charge transfer event yields a crater approximately 1 to 3 microns wide, often with features similar to splash coronae. We interpret the crater formation in terms of localized melting of the electrode via resistive heating concurrent with dielectric breakdown through the surrounding insulating fluid. A scaling analysis indicates that the crater diameter scales as the inverse cube root of the melting point temperature Tm of the metal, in accord with measurements on several metals (660°C <=Tm <= 3414°C). The process of crater formation provides a possible explanation for the longstanding difficulty in quantitatively corroborating Maxwell's prediction for the amount of charge acquired by spheres contacting a planar electrode.

  6. Calculation of total cross sections for charge exchange in molecular collisions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ioup, J.

    1979-01-01

    Areas of investigation summarized include nitrogen ion-nitrogen molecule collisions; molecular collisions with surfaces; molecular identification from analysis of cracking patterns of selected gases; computer modelling of a quadrupole mass spectrometer; study of space charge in a quadrupole; transmission of the 127 deg cylindrical electrostatic analyzer; and mass spectrometer data deconvolution.

  7. Charge transfer and injection barrier at the metal-organic interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Li

    2002-09-01

    The metal-organic interface plays a critical role in determining the functionality and performance of many innovative organic based devices. It has attracted extensive research interests in recent years. This thesis presents investigations of the electronic structures of organic materials, such as tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) and copper phthalocyanine (CuPc), during their interface formation with metals. The characterization is accomplished by X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopes (XPS and UPS) and inverse photoelectron spectroscopy (IPES). As discussed herein, both occupied and unoccupied electronic states at the interfaces are carefully examined in different aspects. In Chapter 4, the charge transfer and chemical reaction at various metal/Alq3 interfaces are investigated using XPS and UPS to study the electron injection into the Alga film. Electron transfer from the low work function metal and Al/LiF(CsF) bilayer to the Alga has been observed. The role of the dielectric and possible chemistry at the interface are discussed in comparison of the low work function metals. Further in Chapter 5, the origin of the metal-interface dipole and the estimation of charge injection barrier is explored using several organic materials. A thermodynamic equilibrium model is extended to explain the relation between the charge transfer process ad the interface dipole. Further, in Chapter 6 the combination of XPS, UPS and IPES detailed the evolution of both occupied and unoccupied energy states during the alkali metal doping. The energy gap modification in organic due to metal doping is observed directly for the spectra. Chapter 7 provides stability study of the organic thin films under x-ray and UV light. The results verify the usability of UPS and XPS for the organic materials used in the thesis. Chapter 7 also shows the secondary ion mass spectroscopy results of metal diffusion in organic thin films.

  8. Photooxidation of Diimine Dithiolate Platinium(II) Complexes Induced by Charge Transfer to Diimine Excitation.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yin; Ley, Kevin D.; Schanze, Kirk S.

    1996-11-20

    A photochemical and photophysical investigation was carried out on (tbubpy)Pt(II)(dpdt) and (tbubpy)Pt(II)(edt) (1 and 2, respectively, where tbubpy = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine, dpdt = meso-1,2-diphenyl-1,2-ethanedithiolate and edt = 1,2-ethanedithiolate). Luminescence and transient absorption studies reveal that these complexes feature a lowest excited state with Pt(S)(2) --> tbubpy charge transfer to diimine character. Both complexes are photostable in deoxygenated solution; however, photolysis into the visible charge transfer band in air-saturated solution induces moderately efficient photooxidation. Photooxidation of 1 produces the dehydrogenation product (tbubpy)Pt(II)(1,2-diphenyl-1,2-ethenedithiolate) (4). By contrast, photooxidation of 2 produces S-oxygenated complexes in which one or both thiolate ligands are converted to sulfinate (-SO(2)R) ligands. Mechanistic photochemical studies and transient absorption spectroscopy reveal that photooxidation occurs by (1) energy transfer from the charge transfer to diimine excited state of 1 to (3)O(2) to produce (1)O(2) and (2) reaction between (1)O(2) and the ground state 1. Kinetic data indicates that excited state 1 produces (1)O(2) efficiently and that reaction between ground state 1 and (1)O(2) occurs with k approximately 3 x 10(8) M(-)(1) s(-)(1).

  9. Ultrafast optical excitations in supramolecular metallacycles with charge transfer properties.

    PubMed

    Flynn, Daniel C; Ramakrishna, Guda; Yang, Hai-Bo; Northrop, Brian H; Stang, Peter J; Goodson, Theodore

    2010-02-03

    New organometallic materials such as two-dimensional metallacycles and three-dimensional metallacages are important for the development of novel optical, electronic, and energy related applications. In this article, the ultrafast dynamics of two different platinum-containing metallacycles have been investigated by femtosecond fluorescence upconversion and transient absorption. These measurements were carried out in an effort to probe the charge transfer dynamics and the rate of intersystem crossing in metallacycles of different geometries and dimensions. The processes of ultrafast intersystem crossing and charge transfer vary between the two different classes of metallacyclic systems studied. For rectangular anthracene-containing metallacycles, the electronic coupling between adjacent ligands was relatively weak, whereas for the triangular phenanthrene-containing structures, there was a clear interaction between the conjugated ligand and the metal complex center. The transient lifetimes increased with increasing conjugation in that case. The results show that differences in the dimensionality and structure of metallacycles result in different optical properties, which may be utilized in the design of nonlinear optical materials and potential new, longer-lived excited state materials for further electronic applications.

  10. Charge-Transfer Processes in Warm Dense Matter: Selective Spectral Filtering for Laser-Accelerated Ion Beams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Braenzel, J.; Barriga-Carrasco, M. D.; Morales, R.; Schnürer, M.

    2018-05-01

    We investigate, both experimentally and theoretically, how the spectral distribution of laser accelerated carbon ions can be filtered by charge exchange processes in a double foil target setup. Carbon ions at multiple charge states with an initially wide kinetic energy spectrum, from 0.1 to 18 MeV, were detected with a remarkably narrow spectral bandwidth after they had passed through an ultrathin and partially ionized foil. With our theoretical calculations, we demonstrate that this process is a consequence of the evolution of the carbon ion charge states in the second foil. We calculated the resulting spectral distribution separately for each ion species by solving the rate equations for electron loss and capture processes within a collisional radiative model. We determine how the efficiency of charge transfer processes can be manipulated by controlling the ionization degree of the transfer matter.

  11. Fluorescent Polystyrene Films for the Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds Using the Twisted Intramolecular Charge Transfer Mechanism.

    PubMed

    Borelli, Mirko; Iasilli, Giuseppe; Minei, Pierpaolo; Pucci, Andrea

    2017-08-06

    Thin films of styrene copolymers containing fluorescent molecular rotors were demonstrated to be strongly sensitive to volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Styrene copolymers of 2-[4-vinyl(1,1'-biphenyl)-4'-yl]-cyanovinyljulolidine (JCBF) were prepared with different P(STY- co -JCBF)(m) compositions (m% = 0.10-1.00) and molecular weights of about 12,000 g/mol. Methanol solutions of JCBF were not emissive due to the formation of the typical twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) state at low viscosity regime, which formation was effectively hampered by adding progressive amounts of glycerol. The sensing performances of the spin-coated copolymer films (thickness of about 4 µm) demonstrated significant vapochromism when exposed to VOCs characterized by high vapour pressure and favourable interaction with the polymer matrix such as THF, CHCl₃ and CH₂Cl₂. The vapochromic response was also reversible and reproducible after successive exposure cycles, whereas the fluorescence variation scaled linearly with VOC concentration, thus suggesting future applications as VOC optical sensors.

  12. A multi-state fragment charge difference approach for diabatic states in electron transfer: Extension and automation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Chou-Hsun; Hsu, Chao-Ping

    2013-10-01

    The electron transfer (ET) rate prediction requires the electronic coupling values. The Generalized Mulliken-Hush (GMH) and Fragment Charge Difference (FCD) schemes have been useful approaches to calculate ET coupling from an excited state calculation. In their typical form, both methods use two eigenstates in forming the target charge-localized diabatic states. For problems involve three or four states, a direct generalization is possible, but it is necessary to pick and assign the locally excited or charge-transfer states involved. In this work, we generalize the 3-state scheme for a multi-state FCD without the need of manual pick or assignment for the states. In this scheme, the diabatic states are obtained separately in the charge-transfer or neutral excited subspaces, defined by their eigenvalues in the fragment charge-difference matrix. In each subspace, the Hamiltonians are diagonalized, and there exist off-diagonal Hamiltonian matrix elements between different subspaces, particularly the charge-transfer and neutral excited diabatic states. The ET coupling values are obtained as the corresponding off-diagonal Hamiltonian matrix elements. A similar multi-state GMH scheme can also be developed. We test the new multi-state schemes for the performance in systems that have been studied using more than two states with FCD or GMH. We found that the multi-state approach yields much better charge-localized states in these systems. We further test for the dependence on the number of state included in the calculation of ET couplings. The final coupling values are converged when the number of state included is increased. In one system where experimental value is available, the multi-state FCD coupling value agrees better with the previous experimental result. We found that the multi-state GMH and FCD are useful when the original two-state approach fails.

  13. Interfacial charge separation and recombination in InP and quasi-type II InP/CdS core/shell quantum dot-molecular acceptor complexes.

    PubMed

    Wu, Kaifeng; Song, Nianhui; Liu, Zheng; Zhu, Haiming; Rodríguez-Córdoba, William; Lian, Tianquan

    2013-08-15

    Recent studies of group II-VI colloidal semiconductor heterostuctures, such as CdSe/CdS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) or dot-in-rod nanorods, show that type II and quasi-type II band alignment can facilitate electron transfer and slow down charge recombination in QD-molecular electron acceptor complexes. To explore the general applicability of this wave function engineering approach for controlling charge transfer properties, we investigate exciton relaxation and dissociation dynamics in InP (a group III-V semiconductor) and InP/CdS core/shell (a heterostructure beween group III-V and II-VI semiconductors) QDs by transient absorption spectroscopy. We show that InP/CdS QDs exhibit a quasi-type II band alignment with the 1S electron delocalized throughout the core and shell and the 1S hole confined in the InP core. In InP-methylviologen (MV(2+)) complexes, excitons in the QD can be dissociated by ultrafast electron transfer to MV(2+) from the 1S electron level (with an average time constant of 11.4 ps) as well as 1P and higher electron levels (with a time constant of 0.39 ps), which is followed by charge recombination to regenerate the complex in its ground state (with an average time constant of 47.1 ns). In comparison, InP/CdS-MV(2+) complexes show similar ultrafast charge separation and 5-fold slower charge recombination rates, consistent with the quasi-type II band alignment in these heterostructures. This result demonstrates that wave function engineering in nanoheterostructures of group III-V and II-VI semiconductors provides a promising approach for optimizing their light harvesting and charge separation for solar energy conversion applications.

  14. Crater Formation on Electrodes during Charge Transfer with Aqueous Droplets or Solid Particles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elton, E. S.; Rosenberg, E. R.; Ristenpart, W. D.

    2017-09-01

    We report that metallic electrodes are physically pitted during charge transfer events with water droplets or other conductive objects moving in strong electric fields (>1 kV /cm ). Post situ microscopic inspection of the electrode shows that an individual charge transfer event yields a crater approximately 1-3 μ m wide, often with features similar to a splash corona. We interpret the crater formation in terms of localized melting of the electrode via resistive heating concurrent with dielectric breakdown through the surrounding insulating fluid. A scaling analysis indicates that the crater diameter scales as the inverse cube root of the melting point temperature Tm of the metal, in accord with measurements on several metals (660 °C ≤Tm≤3414 °C ). The process of crater formation provides a possible explanation for the longstanding difficulty in quantitatively corroborating Maxwell's prediction for the amount of charge acquired by spheres contacting a planar electrode.

  15. Extended Lagrangian formulation of charge-constrained tight-binding molecular dynamics.

    PubMed

    Cawkwell, M J; Coe, J D; Yadav, S K; Liu, X-Y; Niklasson, A M N

    2015-06-09

    The extended Lagrangian Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics formalism [Niklasson, Phys. Rev. Lett., 2008, 100, 123004] has been applied to a tight-binding model under the constraint of local charge neutrality to yield microcanonical trajectories with both precise, long-term energy conservation and a reduced number of self-consistent field optimizations at each time step. The extended Lagrangian molecular dynamics formalism restores time reversal symmetry in the propagation of the electronic degrees of freedom, and it enables the efficient and accurate self-consistent optimization of the chemical potential and atomwise potential energy shifts in the on-site elements of the tight-binding Hamiltonian that are required when enforcing local charge neutrality. These capabilities are illustrated with microcanonical molecular dynamics simulations of a small metallic cluster using an sd-valent tight-binding model for titanium. The effects of weak dissipation on the propagation of the auxiliary degrees of freedom for the chemical potential and on-site Hamiltonian matrix elements that is used to counteract the accumulation of numerical noise during trajectories was also investigated.

  16. Charging of Proteins in Native Mass Spectrometry

    DOE PAGES

    Susa, Anna C.; Xia, Zijie; Tang, Henry Y. H.; ...

    2016-10-12

    Factors that influence the charging of protein ions formed by electrospray ionization from aqueous solutions in which proteins have native structures and function were investigated. Protein ions ranging in molecular weight from 12.3 to 79.7 kDa and pI values from 5.4 to 9.6 were formed from different solutions and reacted with volatile bases of gas-phase basicities higher than that of ammonia in the cell of a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. The charge-state distribution of cytochrome c ions formed from aqueous ammonium or potassium acetate is the same. Moreover, ions formed from these two solutions do not undergo protonmore » transfer to 2-fluoropyridine, which is 8 kcal/mol more basic than ammonia. These results provide compelling evidence that proton transfer between ammonia and protein ions does not limit protein ion charge in native electrospray ionization. Both circular dichroism and ion mobility measurements indicate that there are differences in conformations of proteins in pure water and aqueous ammonium acetate, and these differences can account for the difference in the extent of charging and proton-transfer reactivities of protein ions formed from these solutions. The extent of proton transfer of the protein ions with higher gas-phase basicity bases trends with how closely the protein ions are charged to the value predicted by the Rayleigh limit for spherical water droplets approximately the same size as the proteins. These results indicate that droplet charge limits protein ion charge in native mass spectrometry and are consistent with these ions being formed by the charged residue mechanism.« less

  17. Coupled sensitizer-catalyst dyads: electron-transfer reactions in a perylene-polyoxometalate conjugate.

    PubMed

    Odobel, Fabrice; Séverac, Marjorie; Pellegrin, Yann; Blart, Errol; Fosse, Céline; Cannizzo, Caroline; Mayer, Cédric R; Elliott, Kristopher J; Harriman, Anthony

    2009-01-01

    Ultrafast discharge of a single-electron capacitor: A variety of intramolecular electron-transfer reactions are apparent for polyoxometalates functionalized with covalently attached perylene monoimide chromophores, but these are restricted to single-electron events. (et=electron transfer, cr=charge recombination, csr=charge-shift reaction, PER=perylene, POM=polyoxometalate).A new strategy is introduced that permits covalent attachment of an organic chromophore to a polyoxometalate (POM) cluster. Two examples are reported that differ according to the nature of the anchoring group and the flexibility of the linker. Both POMs are functionalized with perylene monoimide units, which function as photon collectors and form a relatively long-lived charge-transfer state under illumination. They are reduced to a stable pi-radical anion by electrolysis or to a protonated dianion under photolysis in the presence of aqueous triethanolamine. The presence of the POM opens up an intramolecular electron-transfer route by which the charge-transfer state reduces the POM. The rate of this process depends on the molecular conformation and appears to involve through-space interactions. Prior reduction of the POM leads to efficient fluorescence quenching, again due to intramolecular electron transfer. In most cases, it is difficult to resolve the electron-transfer products because of relatively fast reverse charge shift that occurs within a closed conformer. Although the POM can store multiple electrons, it has not proved possible to use these systems as molecular-scale capacitors because of efficient electron transfer from the one-electron-reduced POM to the excited singlet state of the perylene monoimide.

  18. Investigation of ground state charge transfer complex between paracetamol and p-chloranil through DFT and UV-visible studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shukla, Madhulata; Srivastava, Nitin; Saha, Satyen

    2012-08-01

    The present report deals with the theoretical investigation on ground state structure and charge transfer (CT) transitions in paracetamol (PA)/p-chloranil (CA) complex using Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) method. It is found that Cdbnd O bond length of p-chloranil increases on complexation with paracetamol along with considerable amount of charge transfer from PA to CA. TD-DFT calculations have been performed to analyse the observed UV-visible spectrum of PA-CA charge transferred complex. Interestingly, in addition to expected CT transition, a weak symmetry relieved π-π* transition in the chloranil is also observed.

  19. Charge Transfer Directed Radical Substitution Enables para-Selective C–H Functionalization

    PubMed Central

    Boursalian, Gregory B.; Ham, Won Seok; Mazzotti, Anthony R.; Ritter, Tobias

    2016-01-01

    Efficient C–H functionalization requires selectivity for specific C–H bonds. Progress has been made for directed aromatic substitution reactions to achieve ortho- and meta- selectivity, but a general strategy for para-selective C–H functionalization has remained elusive. Herein, we introduce a previously unappreciated concept which enables nearly complete para selectivity. We propose that radicals with high electron affinity elicit areneto-radical charge transfer in the transition state of radical addition, which is the factor primarily responsible for high positional selectivity. We demonstrate that the selectivity is predictable by a simple theoretical tool and show the utility of the concept through a direct synthesis of aryl piperazines. Our results contradict the notion, widely held by organic chemists, that radical aromatic substitution reactions are inherently unselective. The concept of charge transfer directed radical substitution could serve as the basis for the development of new, highly selective C–H functionalization reactions. PMID:27442288

  20. Ultrafast spin exchange-coupling torque via photo-excited charge-transfer processes

    DOE PAGES

    Ma, X.; Fang, F.; Li, Q.; ...

    2015-10-28

    In this study, optical control of spin is of central importance in the research of ultrafast spintronic devices utilizing spin dynamics at short time scales. Recently developed optical approaches such as ultrafast demagnetization, spin-transfer and spin-orbit torques open new pathways to manipulate spin through its interaction with photon, orbit, charge or phonon. However, these processes are limited by either the long thermal recovery time or the low-temperature requirement. Here we experimentally demonstrate ultrafast coherent spin precession via optical charge-transfer processes in the exchange-coupled Fe/CoO system at room temperature. The efficiency of spin precession excitation is significantly higher and the recoverymore » time of the exchange-coupling torque is much shorter than for the demagnetization procedure, which is desirable for fast switching. The exchange coupling is a key issue in spin valves and tunnelling junctions, and hence our findings will help promote the development of exchange-coupled device concepts for ultrafast coherent spin manipulation.« less

  1. Ultrafast spin exchange-coupling torque via photo-excited charge-transfer processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, X.; Fang, F.; Li, Q.; Zhu, J.; Yang, Y.; Wu, Y. Z.; Zhao, H. B.; Lüpke, G.

    2015-10-01

    Optical control of spin is of central importance in the research of ultrafast spintronic devices utilizing spin dynamics at short time scales. Recently developed optical approaches such as ultrafast demagnetization, spin-transfer and spin-orbit torques open new pathways to manipulate spin through its interaction with photon, orbit, charge or phonon. However, these processes are limited by either the long thermal recovery time or the low-temperature requirement. Here we experimentally demonstrate ultrafast coherent spin precession via optical charge-transfer processes in the exchange-coupled Fe/CoO system at room temperature. The efficiency of spin precession excitation is significantly higher and the recovery time of the exchange-coupling torque is much shorter than for the demagnetization procedure, which is desirable for fast switching. The exchange coupling is a key issue in spin valves and tunnelling junctions, and hence our findings will help promote the development of exchange-coupled device concepts for ultrafast coherent spin manipulation.

  2. Charge-transfer-directed radical substitution enables para-selective C-H functionalization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boursalian, Gregory B.; Ham, Won Seok; Mazzotti, Anthony R.; Ritter, Tobias

    2016-08-01

    Efficient C-H functionalization requires selectivity for specific C-H bonds. Progress has been made for directed aromatic substitution reactions to achieve ortho and meta selectivity, but a general strategy for para-selective C-H functionalization has remained elusive. Herein we introduce a previously unappreciated concept that enables nearly complete para selectivity. We propose that radicals with high electron affinity elicit arene-to-radical charge transfer in the transition state of radical addition, which is the factor primarily responsible for high positional selectivity. We demonstrate with a simple theoretical tool that the selectivity is predictable and show the utility of the concept through a direct synthesis of aryl piperazines. Our results contradict the notion, widely held by organic chemists, that radical aromatic substitution reactions are inherently unselective. The concept of radical substitution directed by charge transfer could serve as the basis for the development of new, highly selective C-H functionalization reactions.

  3. A zinc phthalocyanine based periodic mesoporous organosilica exhibiting charge transfer to fullerenes.

    PubMed

    Auras, Florian; Li, Yan; Löbermann, Florian; Döblinger, Markus; Schuster, Jörg; Peter, Laurence M; Trauner, Dirk; Bein, Thomas

    2014-11-10

    Periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) materials offer a strategy to position molecular semiconductors within a highly defined, porous network. We developed thin films of a new semiconducting zinc phthalocyanine-bridged PMO exhibiting a face-centered orthorhombic pore structure with an average pore diameter of 11 nm. The exceptional degree of order achieved with this PMO enabled us to create thin films consisting of a single porous domain throughout their entire thickness, thus providing maximal accessibility for subsequent incorporation of a complementary phase. The phthalocyanine building blocks inside the pore walls were found to be well-aggregated, enabling electronic conductivity and extending the light-harvesting capabilities to the near IR region. Ordered 3D heterojunctions capable of promoting photo-induced charge transfer were constructed by impregnation of the PMO with a fullerene derivative. When integrated into a photovoltaic device, the infiltrated PMO is capable of producing a high open-circuit voltage and a considerable photocurrent, which represents a significant step towards potential applications of PMOs in optoelectronics. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Engineering of an ultra-thin molecular superconductor by charge transfer

    DOEpatents

    Hla, Saw Wai; Hassanien, Abdelrahim; Kendal, Clark

    2016-06-07

    A method of forming a superconductive device of a single layer of (BETS).sub.2GaCl.sub.4 molecules on a substrate surface which displays a superconducting gap that increases exponentially with the length of the molecular chain is provided.

  5. Investigations on the charge transfer mechanism at donor/acceptor interfaces in the quest for descriptors of organic solar cell performance.

    PubMed

    Muraoka, Azusa; Fujii, Mikiya; Mishima, Kenji; Matsunaga, Hiroki; Benten, Hiroaki; Ohkita, Hideo; Ito, Shinzaburo; Yamashita, Koichi

    2018-05-07

    Herein, we theoretically and experimentally investigated the mechanisms of charge separation processes of organic thin-film solar cells. PTB7, PTB1, and PTBF2 have been chosen as donors and PC 71 BM has been chosen as an acceptor considering that effective charge generation depends on the difference between the material combinations. Experimental results of transient absorption spectroscopy show that the hot process is a key step for determining external quantum efficiency (EQE) in these systems. From the quantum chemistry calculations, it has been found that EQE tends to increase as the transferred charge, charge transfer distance, and variation of dipole moments between the ground and excited states of the donor/acceptor complexes increase; this indicates that these physical quantities are a good descriptor to assess the donor-acceptor charge transfer quality contributing to the solar cell performance. We propose that designing donor/acceptor interfaces with large values of charge transfer distance and variation of dipole moments of the donor/acceptor complexes is a prerequisite for developing high-efficiency polymer/PCBM solar cells.

  6. Electronic couplings for molecular charge transfer: Benchmarking CDFT, FODFT, and FODFTB against high-level ab initio calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kubas, Adam; Hoffmann, Felix; Heck, Alexander; Oberhofer, Harald; Elstner, Marcus; Blumberger, Jochen

    2014-03-01

    We introduce a database (HAB11) of electronic coupling matrix elements (Hab) for electron transfer in 11 π-conjugated organic homo-dimer cations. High-level ab inito calculations at the multireference configuration interaction MRCI+Q level of theory, n-electron valence state perturbation theory NEVPT2, and (spin-component scaled) approximate coupled cluster model (SCS)-CC2 are reported for this database to assess the performance of three DFT methods of decreasing computational cost, including constrained density functional theory (CDFT), fragment-orbital DFT (FODFT), and self-consistent charge density functional tight-binding (FODFTB). We find that the CDFT approach in combination with a modified PBE functional containing 50% Hartree-Fock exchange gives best results for absolute Hab values (mean relative unsigned error = 5.3%) and exponential distance decay constants β (4.3%). CDFT in combination with pure PBE overestimates couplings by 38.7% due to a too diffuse excess charge distribution, whereas the economic FODFT and highly cost-effective FODFTB methods underestimate couplings by 37.6% and 42.4%, respectively, due to neglect of interaction between donor and acceptor. The errors are systematic, however, and can be significantly reduced by applying a uniform scaling factor for each method. Applications to dimers outside the database, specifically rotated thiophene dimers and larger acenes up to pentacene, suggests that the same scaling procedure significantly improves the FODFT and FODFTB results for larger π-conjugated systems relevant to organic semiconductors and DNA.

  7. Charge-Transfer Analysis of 2p3d Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering of Cobalt Sulfide and Halides

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    We show that with 2p3d resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) we can accurately determine the charge-transfer parameters of CoF2, CoCl2, CoBr2, and CoS. The 160 meV resolution RIXS results are compared with charge-transfer multiplet calculations. The improved resolution and the direct observation of the crystal field and charge-transfer excitations allow the determination of more accurate parameters than could be derived from X-ray absorption and X-ray photoemission, both limited in resolution by their lifetime broadening. We derive the crystal field and charge-transfer parameters of the Co2+ ions, which provides the nature of the ground state of the Co2+ ions with respect to symmetry and hybridization. In addition, the increased spectral resolution allows the more accurate determination of the atomic Slater integrals. The results show that the crystal field energy decreases with increasing ligand covalency. The L2 edge RIXS spectra show that the intensity of the (Coster–Kronig induced) nonresonant X-ray emission is a measure of ligand covalency. PMID:29170686

  8. Charge transfer polarisation wave in high Tc oxides and superconductive pairing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chakraverty, B. K.

    1991-01-01

    A general formalism of quantized charge transfer polarization waves was developed. The nature of possible superconductive pairing between oxygen holes is discussed. Unlike optical phonons, these polarization fields will give rise to dielectric bipolarons or bipolaron bubbles. In the weak coupling limit, a new class of superconductivity is to be expected.

  9. Preparation and spectroscopic studies on charge-transfer complexes of 2,2'-bipyridine with picric and chloranilic acids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Teleb, Said M.; Gaballa, Akmal S.

    2005-11-01

    Charge-transfer (CT) complexes formed on the reaction of 2,2'-bipyridine with some acceptors such as picric acid (HPA) and chloranilic acid (H 2CA) have been studied in CHCl 3 and MeOH at room temperature. Based on elemental analysis and IR spectra of the solid CT complexes along with the photometric titration curves for the reactions, the data obtained indicate the formation of 1:1 charge-transfer complexes [(bpyH)(PA)] and [(bpyH 2)(CA)], respectively. The infrared and 1H NMR spectroscopic data indicate a charge-transfer interaction associated with a proton migration from the acceptor to the donor followed by intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The formation constants ( KC) for the complexes were shown to be dependent on the structure of the electron acceptors used.

  10. Preparation and spectroscopic studies on charge-transfer complexes of 2,2'-bipyridine with picric and chloranilic acids.

    PubMed

    Teleb, Said M; Gaballa, Akmal S

    2005-11-01

    Charge-transfer (CT) complexes formed on the reaction of 2,2'-bipyridine with some acceptors such as picric acid (HPA) and chloranilic acid (H(2)CA) have been studied in CHCl(3) and MeOH at room temperature. Based on elemental analysis and IR spectra of the solid CT complexes along with the photometric titration curves for the reactions, the data obtained indicate the formation of 1:1 charge-transfer complexes [(bpyH)(PA)] and [(bpyH(2))(CA)], respectively. The infrared and (1)H NMR spectroscopic data indicate a charge-transfer interaction associated with a proton migration from the acceptor to the donor followed by intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The formation constants (K(C)) for the complexes were shown to be dependent on the structure of the electron acceptors used.

  11. Spectroscopy of charge transfer states in Mg1 - x Ni x O

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Churmanov, V. N.; Sokolov, V. I.; Pustovarov, V. A.; Gruzdev, N. B.; Mironova-Ulmane, N.

    2016-10-01

    Photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation spectra of solid solution Mg1- x Ni x O ( x = 0.008) have been analyzed. The contributions of charge transfer electronic states and nonradiative Auger relaxation to the formation of the photoluminescence spectrum are discussed.

  12. Momentum transfer in relativistic heavy ion charge-exchange reactions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Townsend, L. W.; Wilson, J. W.; Khan, F.; Khandelwal, G. S.

    1991-01-01

    Relativistic heavy ion charge-exchange reactions yield fragments (Delta-Z = + 1) whose longitudinal momentum distributions are downshifted by larger values than those associated with the remaining fragments (Delta-Z = 1, -2,...). Kinematics alone cannot account for the observed downshifts; therefore, an additional contribution from collision dynamics must be included. In this work, an optical model description of collision momentum transfer is used to estimate the additional dynamical momentum downshift. Good agreement between theoretical estimates and experimental data is obtained.

  13. The R package 'RLumModel': Simulating charge transfer in quartz

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Friedrich, Johannes; Kreutzer, Sebastian; Schmidt, Christoph

    2017-04-01

    Kinetic models of quartz luminescence have gained an important role for predicting experimental results and for understanding charge transfers in (natural) quartz as well as for other dosimetric materials, e.g., Al2O3:C. We present the R package 'RLumModel', offering an easy-to-use tool for simulating quartz luminescence signals (TL, OSL, LM-OSL and RF) based on five integrated and published parameter sets as well as the possibility to use own parameters. Simulation commands can be created (a) using the Risø Sequence Editor, (b) a built-in SAR sequence generator or (c) self-explanatory keywords for customised sequences. Results can be analysed seamlessly using the R package 'Luminescence' along with a visualisation of concentrations of electrons and holes in every trap/centre as well as in the valence and conduction band during all stages of the simulation. Modelling luminescence signals can help understanding charge transfer processes occurring in nature or during measurements in the laboratory. This will lead to a better understanding of several processes concerning geoscientific questions, because quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust.

  14. Observation of excited state charge transfer with fs/ps-CARS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Blom, Alex Jason

    2009-01-01

    Excited state charge transfer processes are studied using the fs/ps-CARS probe technique. This probe allows for multiplexed detection of Raman active vibrational modes. Systems studied include Michler's Ketone, Coumarin 120, 4-dimethylamino-4'-nitrostilbene, and several others. The vibrational spectrum of the para di-substituted benzophenone Michler's Ketone in the first excited singlet state is studied for the first time. It is found that there are several vibrational modes indicative of structural changes of the excited molecule. A combined experimental and theoretical approach is used to study the simplest 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin, Coumarin 120. Vibrations observed in FTIR and spontaneous Raman spectra are assigned using densitymore » functional calculations and a continuum solvation model is used to predict how observed modes are affected upon inclusion of a solvent. The low frequency modes of the excited state charge transfer species 4-dimethylamino-4{prime}-nitrostilbene are studied in acetonitrile. Results are compared to previous work on this molecule in the fingerprint region. Finally, several partially completed projects and their implications are discussed. These include the two photon absorption of Coumarin 120, nanoconfinement in cyclodextrin cavities and sensitization of titania nanoparticles.« less

  15. Spectroscopic and molecular docking studies on the charge transfer complex of bovine serum albumin with quinone in aqueous medium and its influence on the ligand binding property of the protein.

    PubMed

    Satheshkumar, Angupillai; Elango, Kuppanagounder P

    2014-09-15

    The spectral techniques such as UV-Vis, (1)H NMR and fluorescence and electrochemical experiments have been employed to investigate the interaction between 2-methoxy-3,5,6-trichloro-1,4-benzoquinone (MQ; a water soluble quinone) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) in aqueous medium. The fluorescence of BSA was quenched by MQ via formation of a 1:1 BSA-MQ charge transfer adduct with a formation constant of 3.3×10(8) L mol(-1). Based on the Forster's theory the binding distance between them is calculated as 2.65 nm indicating high probability of binding. For the first time, influence of quinone on the binding property of various types of ligands such as aspirin, ascorbic acid, nicotinimide and sodium stearate has also been investigated. The results indicated that the strong and spontaneous binding existing between BSA and MQ, decreased the intensity of binding of these ligands with BSA. Since Tryptophan (Trp) is the basic residue present in BSA, a comparison between binding property of Trp-MQ adduct with that of BSA-MQ with these ligands has also been attempted. 1H NMR titration study indicated that the Trp forms a charge transfer complex with MQ, which reduces the interaction of Trp with the ligands. Molecular docking study supported the fact that the quinone interacts with the Trp212 unit of the BSA and the free energy change of binding (ΔG) for the BSA-MQ complex was found to be -46 kJ mol(-1), which is comparable to our experimental free energy of binding (-49 kJ mol(-1)) obtained from fluorescence study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Spectroscopic and molecular docking studies on the charge transfer complex of bovine serum albumin with quinone in aqueous medium and its influence on the ligand binding property of the protein

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Satheshkumar, Angupillai; Elango, Kuppanagounder P.

    2014-09-01

    The spectral techniques such as UV-Vis, 1H NMR and fluorescence and electrochemical experiments have been employed to investigate the interaction between 2-methoxy-3,5,6-trichloro-1,4-benzoquinone (MQ; a water soluble quinone) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) in aqueous medium. The fluorescence of BSA was quenched by MQ via formation of a 1:1 BSA-MQ charge transfer adduct with a formation constant of 3.3 × 108 L mol-1. Based on the Forster’s theory the binding distance between them is calculated as 2.65 nm indicating high probability of binding. For the first time, influence of quinone on the binding property of various types of ligands such as aspirin, ascorbic acid, nicotinimide and sodium stearate has also been investigated. The results indicated that the strong and spontaneous binding existing between BSA and MQ, decreased the intensity of binding of these ligands with BSA. Since Tryptophan (Trp) is the basic residue present in BSA, a comparison between binding property of Trp-MQ adduct with that of BSA-MQ with these ligands has also been attempted. 1H NMR titration study indicated that the Trp forms a charge transfer complex with MQ, which reduces the interaction of Trp with the ligands. Molecular docking study supported the fact that the quinone interacts with the Trp212 unit of the BSA and the free energy change of binding (ΔG) for the BSA-MQ complex was found to be -46 kJ mol-1, which is comparable to our experimental free energy of binding (-49 kJ mol-1) obtained from fluorescence study.

  17. Surface Assisted Transient Displacement Charge Technique. II. Effect of Gases on Photoinduced Charge Transfer in Self-Assembled Monolayers

    PubMed Central

    Krasnoslobodtsev, Alexey V.; Smirnov, Sergei N.

    2008-01-01

    Surface assisted photoinduced transient displacement charge (SPTDC) technique was used to study charge transfer in self-assembled monolayers of 7-diethylaminocoumarin covalently linked to oxide surface in atmosphere of different gases. The dipole signal was found to be opposite to that in solution and dependent on the nature of gas and its pressure. The results were explained by collision-induced relaxation that impedes uninhibited tilting of molecules onto the surface. Collisions with paramagnetic oxygen induce intersystem crossing to long-lived triplet dipolar states of coumarin with the rate close to the half of that for the collision rate. PMID:16956285

  18. Electronic shift register memory based on molecular electron-transfer reactions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hopfield, J. J.; Onuchic, Jose Nelson; Beratan, David N.

    1989-01-01

    The design of a shift register memory at the molecular level is described in detail. The memory elements are based on a chain of electron-transfer molecules incorporated on a very large scale integrated (VLSI) substrate, and the information is shifted by photoinduced electron-transfer reactions. The design requirements for such a system are discussed, and several realistic strategies for synthesizing these systems are presented. The immediate advantage of such a hybrid molecular/VLSI device would arise from the possible information storage density. The prospect of considerable savings of energy per bit processed also exists. This molecular shift register memory element design solves the conceptual problems associated with integrating molecular size components with larger (micron) size features on a chip.

  19. Charge transfer and symmetry reduction at the CuPc/Ag(110) interface studied by photoemission tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schönauer, K.; Weiss, S.; Feyer, V.; Lüftner, D.; Stadtmüller, B.; Schwarz, D.; Sueyoshi, T.; Kumpf, C.; Puschnig, P.; Ramsey, M. G.; Tautz, F. S.; Soubatch, S.

    2016-11-01

    On the Ag(110) surface copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) orders in two structurally similar superstructures, as revealed by low-energy electron diffraction. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) shows that in both superstructures the molecular planes are oriented parallel to the surface and the long molecular axes, defined as diagonals of the square molecule, are rotated by ≃±32∘ away from the high-symmetry directions [1 1 ¯0 ] and [001] of the silver surface. Similarly to many other adsorbed metal phthalocyanines, the CuPc molecules on Ag(110) appear in STM as crosslike features with twofold symmetry. Photoemission tomography based on angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy reveals a charge transfer from the substrate into the molecule. A symmetry analysis of experimental and theoretical constant binding energy maps of the photoemission intensity in the kx,ky -plane points to a preferential occupation of one of the two initially degenerate lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMOs) of eg symmetry. The occupied eg orbital is rotated by 32∘ against the [001] direction of the substrate. The lifting of the degeneracy of the LUMOs and the related reduction of the symmetry of the adsorbed CuPc molecule are attributed to an anisotropy in the chemical reactivity of the Ag(110) surface.

  20. Coherence, Energy and Charge Transfers in De-Excitation Pathways of Electronic Excited State of Biomolecules in Photosynthesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bohr, Henrik G.; Malik, F. Bary

    2013-11-01

    The observed multiple de-excitation pathways of photo-absorbed electronic excited state in the peridinin-chlorophyll complex, involving both energy and charge transfers among its constituents, are analyzed using the bio-Auger (B-A) theory. It is also shown that the usually used Förster-Dexter theory, which does not allow for charge transfer, is a special case of B-A theory. The latter could, under appropriate circumstances, lead to excimers.

  1. Sunlight assisted direct amide formation via a charge-transfer complex.

    PubMed

    Cohen, Irit; Mishra, Abhaya K; Parvari, Galit; Edrei, Rachel; Dantus, Mauricio; Eichen, Yoav; Szpilman, Alex M

    2017-09-12

    We report on the use of charge-transfer complexes between amines and carbon tetrachloride, as a novel way to activate the amine for photochemical reactions. This principle is demonstrated in a mild, transition metal free, visible light assisted, dealkylative amide formation from feedstock carboxylic acids and amines. The low absorption coefficient of the complex allows deep light penetration and thus scale up to a gram scale.

  2. Modeling charge transport in organic photovoltaic materials.

    PubMed

    Nelson, Jenny; Kwiatkowski, Joe J; Kirkpatrick, James; Frost, Jarvist M

    2009-11-17

    The performance of an organic photovoltaic cell depends critically on the mobility of charge carriers within the constituent molecular semiconductor materials. However, a complex combination of phenomena that span a range of length and time scales control charge transport in disordered organic semiconductors. As a result, it is difficult to rationalize charge transport properties in terms of material parameters. Until now, efforts to improve charge mobilities in molecular semiconductors have proceeded largely by trial and error rather than through systematic design. However, recent developments have enabled the first predictive simulation studies of charge transport in disordered organic semiconductors. This Account describes a set of computational methods, specifically molecular modeling methods, to simulate molecular packing, quantum chemical calculations of charge transfer rates, and Monte Carlo simulations of charge transport. Using case studies, we show how this combination of methods can reproduce experimental mobilities with few or no fitting parameters. Although currently applied to material systems of high symmetry or well-defined structure, further developments of this approach could address more complex systems such anisotropic or multicomponent solids and conjugated polymers. Even with an approximate treatment of packing disorder, these computational methods simulate experimental mobilities within an order of magnitude at high electric fields. We can both reproduce the relative values of electron and hole mobility in a conjugated small molecule and rationalize those values based on the symmetry of frontier orbitals. Using fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of molecular packing, we can quantitatively replicate vertical charge transport along stacks of discotic liquid crystals which vary only in the structure of their side chains. We can reproduce the trends in mobility with molecular weight for self-organizing polymers using a cheap, coarse

  3. Doping graphene films via chemically mediated charge transfer.

    PubMed

    Ishikawa, Ryousuke; Bando, Masashi; Morimoto, Yoshitaka; Sandhu, Adarsh

    2011-01-31

    Transparent conductive films (TCFs) are critical components of a myriad of technologies including flat panel displays, light-emitting diodes, and solar cells. Graphene-based TCFs have attracted a lot of attention because of their high electrical conductivity, transparency, and low cost. Carrier doping of graphene would potentially improve the properties of graphene-based TCFs for practical industrial applications. However, controlling the carrier type and concentration of dopants in graphene films is challenging, especially for the synthesis of p-type films. In this article, a new method for doping graphene using the conjugated organic molecule, tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ), is described. Notably, TCNQ is well known as a powerful electron accepter and is expected to favor electron transfer from graphene into TCNQ molecules, thereby leading to p-type doping of graphene films. Small amounts of TCNQ drastically improved the resistivity without degradation of optical transparency. Our carrier doping method based on charge transfer has a huge potential for graphene-based TCFs.

  4. Energy transfer through a multi-layer liner for shaped charges

    DOEpatents

    Skolnick, Saul; Goodman, Albert

    1985-01-01

    This invention relates to the determination of parameters for selecting materials for use as liners in shaped charges to transfer the greatest amount of energy to the explosive jet. Multi-layer liners constructed of metal in shaped charges for oil well perforators or other applications are selected in accordance with the invention to maximize the penetrating effect of the explosive jet by reference to four parameters: (1) Adjusting the explosive charge to liner mass ratio to achieve a balance between the amount of explosive used in a shaped charge and the areal density of the liner material; (2) Adjusting the ductility of each layer of a multi-layer liner to enhance the formation of a longer energy jet; (3) Buffering the intermediate layers of a multi-layer liner by varying the properties of each layer, e.g., composition, thickness, ductility, acoustic impedance and areal density, to protect the final inside layer of high density material from shattering upon impact of the explosive force and, instead, flow smoothly into a jet; and (4) Adjusting the impedance of the layers in a liner to enhance the transmission and reduce the reflection of explosive energy across the interface between layers.

  5. Charge-transfer mobility and electrical conductivity of PANI as conjugated organic semiconductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yahong; Duan, Yuping; Song, Lulu; Zheng, Daoyuan; Zhang, Mingxing; Zhao, Guangjiu

    2017-09-01

    The intramolecular charge transfer properties of a phenyl-end-capped aniline tetramer (ANIH) and a chloro-substituted derivative (ANICl) as organic semiconductors were theoretically studied through the first-principles calculation based on the Marcus-Hush theory. The reorganization energies, intermolecular electronic couplings, angular resolution anisotropic mobilities, and density of states of the two crystals were evaluated. The calculated results demonstrate that both ANIH and ANICl crystals show the higher electron transfer mobilities than the hole-transfer mobilities, which means that the two crystals should prefer to function as n-type organic semiconductors. Furthermore, the angle dependence mobilities of the two crystals show remarkable anisotropic character. The maximum mobility μmax of ANIH and ANICl crystals is 1.3893 and 0.0272 cm2 V-1 s-1, which appear at the orientation angles near 176°/356° and 119°/299° of a conducting channel on the a-b reference plane. It is synthetically evaluated that the ANIH crystal possesses relatively lower reorganization energy, higher electronic coupling, and electron transfer mobility, which means that the ANIH crystal may be the more ideal candidate as a high performance n-type organic semiconductor material. The systematic theoretical studies on organic crystals should be conducive to evaluating the charge-transport properties and designing higher performance organic semiconductor materials.

  6. Charge-transfer mobility and electrical conductivity of PANI as conjugated organic semiconductors.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yahong; Duan, Yuping; Song, Lulu; Zheng, Daoyuan; Zhang, Mingxing; Zhao, Guangjiu

    2017-09-21

    The intramolecular charge transfer properties of a phenyl-end-capped aniline tetramer (ANIH) and a chloro-substituted derivative (ANICl) as organic semiconductors were theoretically studied through the first-principles calculation based on the Marcus-Hush theory. The reorganization energies, intermolecular electronic couplings, angular resolution anisotropic mobilities, and density of states of the two crystals were evaluated. The calculated results demonstrate that both ANIH and ANICl crystals show the higher electron transfer mobilities than the hole-transfer mobilities, which means that the two crystals should prefer to function as n-type organic semiconductors. Furthermore, the angle dependence mobilities of the two crystals show remarkable anisotropic character. The maximum mobility μ max of ANIH and ANICl crystals is 1.3893 and 0.0272 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , which appear at the orientation angles near 176°/356° and 119°/299° of a conducting channel on the a-b reference plane. It is synthetically evaluated that the ANIH crystal possesses relatively lower reorganization energy, higher electronic coupling, and electron transfer mobility, which means that the ANIH crystal may be the more ideal candidate as a high performance n-type organic semiconductor material. The systematic theoretical studies on organic crystals should be conducive to evaluating the charge-transport properties and designing higher performance organic semiconductor materials.

  7. Boosting the efficiency of quantum dot sensitized solar cells through modulation of interfacial charge transfer.

    PubMed

    Kamat, Prashant V

    2012-11-20

    The demand for clean energy will require the design of nanostructure-based light-harvesting assemblies for the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy (solar fuels) and electrical energy (solar cells). Semiconductor nanocrystals serve as the building blocks for designing next generation solar cells, and metal chalcogenides (e.g., CdS, CdSe, PbS, and PbSe) are particularly useful for harnessing size-dependent optical and electronic properties in these nanostructures. This Account focuses on photoinduced electron transfer processes in quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSCs) and discusses strategies to overcome the limitations of various interfacial electron transfer processes. The heterojunction of two semiconductor nanocrystals with matched band energies (e.g., TiO(2) and CdSe) facilitates charge separation. The rate at which these separated charge carriers are driven toward opposing electrodes is a major factor that dictates the overall photocurrent generation efficiency. The hole transfer at the semiconductor remains a major bottleneck in QDSCs. For example, the rate constant for hole transfer is 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than the electron injection from excited CdSe into oxide (e.g., TiO(2)) semiconductor. Disparity between the electron and hole scavenging rate leads to further accumulation of holes within the CdSe QD and increases the rate of electron-hole recombination. To overcome the losses due to charge recombination processes at the interface, researchers need to accelerate electron and hole transport. The power conversion efficiency for liquid junction and solid state quantum dot solar cells, which is in the range of 5-6%, represents a significant advance toward effective utilization of nanomaterials for solar cells. The design of new semiconductor architectures could address many of the issues related to modulation of various charge transfer steps. With the resolution of those problems, the efficiencies of QDSCs could approach those of dye

  8. An insight into the mechanism of charge-transfer of hybrid polymer:ternary/quaternary chalcopyrite colloidal nanocrystals.

    PubMed

    Chawla, Parul; Singh, Son; Sharma, Shailesh Narain

    2014-01-01

    In this work, we have demonstrated the structural and optoelectronic properties of the surface of ternary/quaternary (CISe/CIGSe/CZTSe) chalcopyrite nanocrystallites passivated by tri-n-octylphosphine-oxide (TOPO) and tri-n-octylphosphine (TOP) and compared their charge transfer characteristics in the respective polymer: chalcopyrite nanocomposites by dispersing them in poly(3-hexylthiophene) polymer. It has been found that CZTSe nanocrystallites due to their high crystallinity and well-ordered 3-dimensional network in its pristine form exhibit a higher steric- and photo-stability, resistance against coagulation and homogeneity compared to the CISe and CIGSe counterparts. Moreover, CZTSe nanocrystallites display efficient photoluminescence quenching as evident from the high value of the Stern-Volmer quenching constant (K SV) and eventually higher charge transfer efficiency in their respective polymer P3HT:CZTSe composites. We modelled the dependency of the charge transfer from the donor and the charge separation mechanism across the donor-acceptor interface from the extent of crystallinity of the chalcopyrite semiconductors (CISe/CIGSe/CZTSe). Quaternary CZTSe chalcopyrites with their high crystallinity and controlled morphology in conjunction with regioregular P3HT polymer is an attractive candidate for hybrid solar cells applications.

  9. Proton transfer in organic scaffolds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Basak, Dipankar

    This dissertation focuses on the fundamental understanding of the proton transfer process and translating the knowledge into design/development of new organic materials for efficient non-aqueous proton transport. For example, what controls the shuttling of a proton between two basic sites? a) Distance between two groups? or b) the basicity? c) What is the impact of protonation on molecular conformation when the basic sites are attached to rigid scaffolds? For this purpose, we developed several tunable proton sponges and studied proton transfer in these scaffolds theoretically as well as experimentally. Next we moved our attention to understand long-range proton conduction or proton transport. We introduced liquid crystalline (LC) proton conductor based on triphenylene molecule and established that activation energy barrier for proton transport is lower in the LC phase compared to the crystalline phase. Furthermore, we investigated the impact of several critical factors: the choice of the proton transferring groups, mobility of the charge carriers, intrinsic vs. extrinsic charge carrier concentrations and the molecular architectures on long-range proton transport. The outcome of this research will lead to a deeper understanding of non-aqueous proton transfer process and aid the design of next generation proton exchange membrane (PEM) for fuel cell.

  10. Effect of interstitial palladium on plasmon-driven charge transfer in nanoparticle dimers.

    PubMed

    Lerch, Sarah; Reinhard, Björn M

    2018-04-23

    Capacitive plasmon coupling between noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) is characterized by an increasing red-shift of the bonding dipolar plasmon mode (BDP) in the classical electromagnetic coupling regime. This model breaks down at short separations where plasmon-driven charge transfer induces a gap current between the NPs with a magnitude and separation dependence that can be modulated if molecules are present in the gap. Here, we use gap contained DNA as a scaffold for the growth of palladium (Pd) NPs in the gap between two gold NPs and investigate the effect of increasing Pd NP concentration on the BDP mode. Consistent with enhanced plasmon-driven charge transfer, the integration of discrete Pd NPs depolarizes the capacitive BDP mode over longer interparticle separations than is possible in only DNA-linked Au NPs. High Pd NP densities in the gap increases the gap conductance and induces the transition from capacitive to conductive coupling.

  11. Photoinduced charge transfer from vacuum-deposited molecules to single-layer transition metal dichalcogenides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Osada, Kazuki; Tanaka, Masatoshi; Ohno, Shinya; Suzuki, Takanori

    2016-06-01

    Variations of photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectra of single-layer MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2 due to the vacuum deposition of C60 or copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) molecules have been investigated. PL spectra are decomposed into two competitive components, an exciton and a charged exciton (trion), depending on carrier density. The variation of PL spectra is interpreted in terms of charge transfer across the interfaces between transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and dopant molecules. We find that deposited C60 molecules inject photoexcited electrons into MoS2, MoSe2, and WS2 or holes into WSe2. CuPc molecules also inject electrons into MoS2, MoSe2, and WS2, while holes are depleted from WSe2 to CuPc. We then propose a band alignment between TMDs and dopant molecules. Peak shifts of Raman spectra and doped carrier density estimated using a three-level model also support the band alignment. We thus demonstrate photoinduced charge transfer from dopant molecules to single-layer TMDs.

  12. Impact of speciation on the electron charge transfer properties of nanodiamond drug carriers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Baichuan; Barnard, Amanda S.

    2016-07-01

    Unpassivated diamond nanoparticles (bucky-diamonds) exhibit a unique surface reconstruction involving graphitization of certain crystal facets, giving rise to hybrid core-shell particles containing both aromatic and aliphatic carbon. Considerable effort is directed toward eliminating the aromatic shell, but persistent graphitization of subsequent subsurface-layers makes perdurable purification a challenge. In this study we use some simple statistical methods, in combination with electronic structure simulations, to predict the impact of different fractions of aromatic and aliphatic carbon on the charge transfer properties of the ensembles of bucky-diamonds. By predicting quality factors for a variety of cases, we find that perfect purification is not necessary to preserve selectivity, and there is a clear motivation for purifying samples to improve the sensitivity of charge transfer reactions. This may prove useful in designing drug delivery systems where the release of (selected) drugs needs to be sensitive to specific conditions at the point of delivery.Unpassivated diamond nanoparticles (bucky-diamonds) exhibit a unique surface reconstruction involving graphitization of certain crystal facets, giving rise to hybrid core-shell particles containing both aromatic and aliphatic carbon. Considerable effort is directed toward eliminating the aromatic shell, but persistent graphitization of subsequent subsurface-layers makes perdurable purification a challenge. In this study we use some simple statistical methods, in combination with electronic structure simulations, to predict the impact of different fractions of aromatic and aliphatic carbon on the charge transfer properties of the ensembles of bucky-diamonds. By predicting quality factors for a variety of cases, we find that perfect purification is not necessary to preserve selectivity, and there is a clear motivation for purifying samples to improve the sensitivity of charge transfer reactions. This may prove

  13. [Diffusion and diffusion-osmosis models of the charged macromolecule transfer in barriers of biosystems].

    PubMed

    Varakin, A I; Mazur, V V; Arkhipova, N V; Serianov, Iu V

    2009-01-01

    Mathematical models of the transfer of charged macromolecules have been constructed on the basis of the classical equations of electromigration diffusion of Helmholtz-Smolukhovskii, Goldman, and Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz. It was shown that ion transfer in placental (mimicking lipid-protein barriers) and muscle barriers occurs by different mechanisms. In placental barriers, the electromigration diffusion occurs along lipid-protein channels formed due to the conformational deformation of phospholipid and protein molecules with the coefficients of diffusion D = (2.6-3.6) x 10(-8) cm2/s. The transfer in muscle barriers is due to the migration across charged interfibrillar channels with the negative diffusion activation energy, which is explained by changes in the structure of muscle fibers and expenditures of thermal energy for the extrusion of Cl- from channel walls with the diffusion coefficient D = (6.0-10.0) x 10(-6) cm2/s.

  14. Oxidation and metal-insertion in molybdenite surfaces: evaluation of charge-transfer mechanisms and dynamics

    PubMed Central

    Ramana, CV; Becker, U; Shutthanandan, V; Julien, CM

    2008-01-01

    Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), a layered transition-metal dichalcogenide, has been of special importance to the research community of geochemistry, materials and environmental chemistry, and geotechnical engineering. Understanding the oxidation behavior and charge-transfer mechanisms in MoS2 is important to gain better insight into the degradation of this mineral in the environment. In addition, understanding the insertion of metals into molybdenite and evaluation of charge-transfer mechanism and dynamics is important to utilize these minerals in technological applications. Furthermore, a detailed investigation of thermal oxidation behavior and metal-insertion will provide a basis to further explore and model the mechanism of adsorption of metal ions onto geomedia. The present work was performed to understand thermal oxidation and metal-insertion processes of molybdenite surfaces. The analysis was performed using atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), and nuclear reaction analysis (NRA). Structural studies using SEM and TEM indicate the local-disordering of the structure as a result of charge-transfer process between the inserted lithium and the molybdenite layer. Selected area electron diffraction measurements indicate the large variations in the diffusivity of lithium confirming that the charge-transfer is different along and perpendicular to the layers in molybdenite. Thermal heating of molybenite surface in air at 400°C induces surface oxidation, which is slow during the first hour of heating and then increases significantly. The SEM results indicate that the crystals formed on the molybdenite surface as a result of thermal oxidation exhibit regular thin-elongated shape. The average size and density of the crystals on the surface is dependent on the time of annealing; smaller size and high density during the first one-hour and significant increase in

  15. Oxidation and metal-insertion in molybdenite surfaces: evaluation of charge-transfer mechanisms and dynamics.

    PubMed

    Ramana, C V; Becker, U; Shutthanandan, V; Julien, C M

    2008-06-05

    Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), a layered transition-metal dichalcogenide, has been of special importance to the research community of geochemistry, materials and environmental chemistry, and geotechnical engineering. Understanding the oxidation behavior and charge-transfer mechanisms in MoS2 is important to gain better insight into the degradation of this mineral in the environment. In addition, understanding the insertion of metals into molybdenite and evaluation of charge-transfer mechanism and dynamics is important to utilize these minerals in technological applications. Furthermore, a detailed investigation of thermal oxidation behavior and metal-insertion will provide a basis to further explore and model the mechanism of adsorption of metal ions onto geomedia.The present work was performed to understand thermal oxidation and metal-insertion processes of molybdenite surfaces. The analysis was performed using atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), and nuclear reaction analysis (NRA).Structural studies using SEM and TEM indicate the local-disordering of the structure as a result of charge-transfer process between the inserted lithium and the molybdenite layer. Selected area electron diffraction measurements indicate the large variations in the diffusivity of lithium confirming that the charge-transfer is different along and perpendicular to the layers in molybdenite. Thermal heating of molybenite surface in air at 400 degrees C induces surface oxidation, which is slow during the first hour of heating and then increases significantly. The SEM results indicate that the crystals formed on the molybdenite surface as a result of thermal oxidation exhibit regular thin-elongated shape. The average size and density of the crystals on the surface is dependent on the time of annealing; smaller size and high density during the first one-hour and significant

  16. Development of highly accurate approximate scheme for computing the charge transfer integral

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pershin, Anton; Szalay, Péter G.

    The charge transfer integral is a key parameter required by various theoretical models to describe charge transport properties, e.g., in organic semiconductors. The accuracy of this important property depends on several factors, which include the level of electronic structure theory and internal simplifications of the applied formalism. The goal of this paper is to identify the performance of various approximate approaches of the latter category, while using the high level equation-of-motion coupled cluster theory for the electronic structure. The calculations have been performed on the ethylene dimer as one of the simplest model systems. By studying different spatial perturbations, itmore » was shown that while both energy split in dimer and fragment charge difference methods are equivalent with the exact formulation for symmetrical displacements, they are less efficient when describing transfer integral along the asymmetric alteration coordinate. Since the “exact” scheme was found computationally expensive, we examine the possibility to obtain the asymmetric fluctuation of the transfer integral by a Taylor expansion along the coordinate space. By exploring the efficiency of this novel approach, we show that the Taylor expansion scheme represents an attractive alternative to the “exact” calculations due to a substantial reduction of computational costs, when a considerably large region of the potential energy surface is of interest. Moreover, we show that the Taylor expansion scheme, irrespective of the dimer symmetry, is very accurate for the entire range of geometry fluctuations that cover the space the molecule accesses at room temperature.« less

  17. The intermolecular interaction in D2 - CX4 and O2 - CX4 (X = F, Cl) systems: Molecular beam scattering experiments as a sensitive probe of the selectivity of charge transfer component.

    PubMed

    Cappelletti, David; Falcinelli, Stefano; Pirani, Fernando

    2016-10-07

    Gas phase collisions of a D 2 projectile by CF 4 and by CCl 4 targets have been investigated with the molecular beam technique. The integral cross section, Q, has been measured for both collisional systems in the thermal energy range and oscillations due to the quantum "glory" interference have been resolved in the velocity dependence of Q. The analysis of the measured Q(v) data provided novel information on the anisotropic potential energy surfaces of the studied systems at intermediate and large separation distances. The relative role of the most relevant types of contributions to the global interaction has been characterized. Extending the phenomenology of a weak intermolecular halogen bond, the present work demonstrates that while D 2 - CF 4 is basically bound through the balance between size (Pauli) repulsion and dispersion attraction, an appreciable intermolecular bond stabilization by charge transfer is operative in D 2 - CCl 4 . We also demonstrated that the present analysis is consistent with that carried out for the F( 2 P)-D 2 and Cl( 2 P)-D 2 systems, previously characterized by scattering experiments performed with state-selected halogen atom beams. A detailed comparison of the present and previous results on O 2 -CF 4 and O 2 -CCl 4 systems pinpointed striking differences in the behavior of hydrogen and oxygen molecules when they interact with the same partner, mainly due to the selectivity of the charge transfer component. The present work contributes to cast light on the nature and role of the intermolecular interaction in prototype systems, involving homo-nuclear diatoms and symmetric halogenated molecules.

  18. Oxygen vacancies promoted interfacial charge carrier transfer of CdS/ZnO heterostructure for photocatalytic hydrogen generation.

    PubMed

    Xie, Ying Peng; Yang, Yongqiang; Wang, Guosheng; Liu, Gang

    2017-10-01

    The solid-state Z-scheme trinary/binary heterostructures show the advantage of utilizing the high-energy photogenerated charge carriers in photocatalysis. However, the key factors controlling such Z-scheme in the binary heterostructures are still unclear. In this paper, we showed that oxygen vacancies could act as an interface electron transfer mediator to promote the direct Z-scheme charge transfer process in binary semiconductor heterostructures of CdS/ZnS. Increasing the concentration of surface oxygen vacancies of ZnO crystal can greatly enhance photocatalytic hydrogen generation of CdS/ZnO heterostructure. This was attributed to the strengthened direct Z-scheme charge transfer process in CdS/ZnO, as evidenced by steady-state/time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy and selective photodeposition of metal particles on the heterostructure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Global and Local Partitioning of the Charge Transferred in the Parr-Pearson Model.

    PubMed

    Orozco-Valencia, Angel Ulises; Gázquez, José L; Vela, Alberto

    2017-05-25

    Through a simple proposal, the charge transfer obtained from the cornerstone theory of Parr and Pearson is partitioned, for each reactant, in two channels: an electrophilic, through which the species accepts electrons, and the other, a nucleophilic, where the species donates electrons. It is shown that this global model allows us to determine unambiguously the charge-transfer mechanism prevailing in a given reaction. The partitioning is extended to include local effects through the Fukui functions of the reactants. This local model is applied to several emblematic reactions in organic and inorganic chemistry, and we show that besides improving the correlations obtained with the global model it provides valuable information concerning the atoms in the reactants playing the most important roles in the reaction and thus improving our understanding of the reaction under study.

  20. Charge-transfer complexes of sulfamethoxazole drug with different classes of acceptors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Refat, Moamen S.; El-Korashy, Sabry A.; El-Deen, Ibrahim M.; El-Sayed, Shaima M.

    2010-09-01

    The charge-transfer complexes of the donor sulfamethoxazole (SZ) with iodine (I 2), 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ), p-chloranil (CHL) and picric acid (PA) have been studied spectrophotometrically in chloroform or methanol at room temperature using absorption spectrophotometer. The results indicate that formation of CT-complexes in case of four acceptors. The stoichiometry of the complexes was found to be 1:1 ratio by molar ratio method between donor and acceptor with maximum absorption bands (CT band). The data are discussed in terms of formation constant ( KCT), molar extinction coefficient ( ɛCT), standard free energy (Δ G°), oscillator strength (ƒ), transition dipole moment ( μ), resonance energy ( RN) and ionization potential ( ID). The results indicate that the formation constant ( KCT) for the complexes were shown to be dependent upon the nature of electron acceptor, donor and polarity of solvents which were used. IR, 1H NMR, mass spectra, UV-Vis techniques, elemental analyses (CHN) and TG-DTG investigation were used to characterize the four sulfamethoxazole charge-transfer complexes.

  1. Interactions in charged colloidal suspensions: A molecular dynamics simulation study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Padidela, Uday Kumar; Behera, Raghu Nath

    2017-07-01

    Colloidal suspensions are extensively used in everyday life and find several applications in the pharmaceutical, chemical, food industries, etc. We present the classical molecular dynamics simulation results of the structural and transport properties of charged colloidal suspensions as a function of its size, charge and concentration. The system is viewed as a two-component (colloids and counterions) primitive model consisting of spherical colloid particle (macroion) and the counterions (micro-particles), which are treated explicitly. The solvent is treated as dielectric continuum. A systematic trend in the radial distribution functions g(r), potential of mean force W(r), different thermodynamic properties and diffusion coefficients is obtained as a function of colloid charge, size and concentration. An attractive minimum in W(r) is obtained at short interparticle distance.

  2. Molecularly "engineered" anode adsorbates for probing OLED interfacial structure-charge injection/luminance relationships: large, structure-dependent effects.

    PubMed

    Huang, Qinglan; Evmenenko, Guennadi; Dutta, Pulak; Marks, Tobin J

    2003-12-03

    Molecule-scale structure effects at organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) anode-organic transport layer interfaces are probed via a self-assembly approach. A series of ITO anode-linked silyltriarylamine molecules differing in aryl group and linker density are synthesized for this purpose and used to probe the relationship between nanoscale interfacial chemical structure, charge injection and electroluminescence properties. Dramatic variations in hole injection magnitude and OLED performance can be correlated with the molecular structures and electrochemically derived heterogeneous electron-transfer rates of such triarylamine fragments, placed precisely at the anode-hole transport layer interface. Very bright and efficient ( approximately 70 000 cd/m2 and approximately 2.5% forward external quantum efficiency) OLEDs have thereby been fabricated.

  3. Nanoscale charge transfer and diffusion at the MoS2/SiO2 interface by atomic force microscopy: contact injection versus triboelectrification.

    PubMed

    Xu, Rui; Ye, Shili; Xu, Kunqi; Lei, Le; Hussain, Sabir; Zheng, Zhiyue; Pang, Fei; Xing, Shuya; Liu, Xinmeng; Ji, Wei; Cheng, Zhihai

    2018-08-31

    Understanding the process of charge generation, transfer, and diffusion between two-dimensional (2D) materials and their supporting substrates is very important for potential applications of 2D materials. Compared with the systematic studies of triboelectric charging in a bulk sample, a fundamental understanding of the triboelectrification of the 2D material/insulator system is rather limited. Here, the charge transfer and diffusion of both the SiO 2 surface and MoS 2 /SiO 2 interface through contact electrification and frictional electrification are investigated systematically in situ by scanning Kelvin probe microscopy and dual-harmonic electrostatic force microscopy. Different from the simple static charge transfer between SiO 2 and the PtSi alloy atomic force microscope (AFM) tip, the charge transfer between the tip and the MoS 2 /SiO 2 system is complicated. Triboelectric charges, generated by contact or frictional electrification with the AFM tip, are trapped at the MoS 2 /SiO 2 interface and act as floating gates. The local charge discharge processes can be obtained by monitoring the surface potential. The charge decay time (τ) of the MoS 2 /SiO 2 interface is one (or two) orders of magnitude larger than the decay time τ of the SiO 2 surface. This work facilitates an understanding of the triboelectric and de-electrification of the interface between 2D materials and substrates. In addition to the charge transfer and diffusion, we demonstrate the nanopatterns of surface and interfacial charges, which have great potential for the application of self-assembly of charged nanostructures.

  4. Charge-transfer-based terbium MOF nanoparticles as fluorescent pH sensor for extreme acidity.

    PubMed

    Qi, Zewan; Chen, Yang

    2017-01-15

    Newly emerged metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have aroused the great interest in designing functional materials by means of its flexible structure and component. In this study, we used lanthanide Tb 3+ ions and small molecular ligands to design and assemble a kind of pH-sensitive MOF nanoparticle based on intramolecular-charge-transfer effect. This kind of made-to-order MOF nanoparticle for H + is highly specific and sensitive and could be used to fluorescently indicate pH value of strong acidic solution via preset mechanism through luminescence of Tb 3+ . The long luminescence lifetime of Tb 3+ allows eliminating concomitant non-specific fluorescence by time-revised fluorescence techniques, processing an advantage in sensing H + in biological media with strong autofluorescence. Our method showed a great potential of MOF structures in designing and constructing sensitive sensing materials for specific analytes directly via the assembly of functional ions/ligands. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Melting of Pb Charge Glass and Simultaneous Pb-Cr Charge Transfer in PbCrO 3 as the Origin of Volume Collapse

    DOE PAGES

    Yu, Runze; Hojo, Hajime; Watanuki, Tetsu; ...

    2015-09-15

    A metal to insulator transition in integer or half integer charge systems can be regarded as crystallization of charges. The insulating state tends to have a glassy nature when randomness or geometrical frustration exists. In this paper, we report that the charge glass state is realized in a perovskite compound PbCrO 3, which has been known for almost 50 years, without any obvious inhomogeneity or triangular arrangement in the charge system. PbCrO 3 has a valence state of Pb 2+ 0.5Pb 4+ 0.5Cr 3+O 3 with Pb 2+–Pb 4+ correlation length of three lattice-spacings at ambient condition. A pressure inducedmore » melting of charge glass and simultaneous Pb–Cr charge transfer causes an insulator to metal transition and ~10% volume collapse.« less

  6. Charge-Neutral Constant pH Molecular Dynamics Simulations Using a Parsimonious Proton Buffer.

    PubMed

    Donnini, Serena; Ullmann, R Thomas; Groenhof, Gerrit; Grubmüller, Helmut

    2016-03-08

    In constant pH molecular dynamics simulations, the protonation states of titratable sites can respond to changes of the pH and of their electrostatic environment. Consequently, the number of protons bound to the biomolecule, and therefore the overall charge of the system, fluctuates during the simulation. To avoid artifacts associated with a non-neutral simulation system, we introduce an approach to maintain neutrality of the simulation box in constant pH molecular dynamics simulations, while maintaining an accurate description of all protonation fluctuations. Specifically, we introduce a proton buffer that, like a buffer in experiment, can exchange protons with the biomolecule enabling its charge to fluctuate. To keep the total charge of the system constant, the uptake and release of protons by the buffer are coupled to the titration of the biomolecule with a constraint. We find that, because the fluctuation of the total charge (number of protons) of a typical biomolecule is much smaller than the number of titratable sites of the biomolecule, the number of buffer sites required to maintain overall charge neutrality without compromising the charge fluctuations of the biomolecule, is typically much smaller than the number of titratable sites, implying markedly enhanced simulation and sampling efficiency.

  7. "Inverted" Solvent Effect on Charge Transfer in the Excited State.

    PubMed

    Nau; Pischel

    1999-10-04

    Faster in cyclohexane than in acetonitrile is the fluorescence quenching of the azoalkane 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene (DBO) by amines and sulfides. Although this photoreaction is induced by charge transfer (CT; see picture) and exciplexes are formed, the increase in the dipole moment of the exciplex is not large enough to offset the solvent stabilization of the excited reactants, and an "inverted" solvent effect results.

  8. Charge transfer reactions between gas-phase hydrated electrons, molecular oxygen and carbon dioxide at temperatures of 80-300 K.

    PubMed

    Akhgarnusch, Amou; Tang, Wai Kit; Zhang, Han; Siu, Chi-Kit; Beyer, Martin K

    2016-09-14

    The recombination reactions of gas-phase hydrated electrons (H2O)n˙(-) with CO2 and O2, as well as the charge exchange reaction of CO2˙(-)(H2O)n with O2, were studied by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry in the temperature range T = 80-300 K. Comparison of the rate constants with collision models shows that CO2 reacts with 50% collision efficiency, while O2 reacts considerably slower. Nanocalorimetry yields internally consistent results for the three reactions. Converted to room temperature condensed phase, this yields hydration enthalpies of CO2˙(-) and O2˙(-), ΔHhyd(CO2˙(-)) = -334 ± 44 kJ mol(-1) and ΔHhyd(O2˙(-)) = -404 ± 28 kJ mol(-1). Quantum chemical calculations show that the charge exchange reaction proceeds via a CO4˙(-) intermediate, which is consistent with a fully ergodic reaction and also with the small efficiency. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations corroborate this picture and indicate that the CO4˙(-) intermediate has a lifetime significantly above the ps regime.

  9. Charge Transfer and Support Effects in Heterogeneous Catalysis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hervier, Antoine

    The kinetic, electronic and spectroscopic properties of two-dimensional oxide-supported catalysts were investigated in order to understand the role of charge transfer in catalysis. Pt/TiO 2 nanodiodes were fabricated and used as catalysts for hydrogen oxidation. During the reaction, the current through the diode, as well as its I-V curve, were monitored, while gas chromatography was used to measure the reaction rate. The current and the turnover rate were found to have the same temperature dependence, indicating that hydrogen oxidation leads to the non-adiabatic excitation of electrons in Pt. A fraction of these electrons have enough energy to ballistically transport throughmore » Pt and overcome the Schottky barrier at the interface with TiO 2. The yield for this phenomenon is on the order of 10 -4 electrons per product molecule formed, similar to what has been observed for CO oxidation and for the adsorption of many different molecules. The same Pt/TiO 2 system was used to compare currents in hydrogen oxidation and deuterium oxidation. The current through the diode under deuterium oxidation was found to be greater than under hydrogen oxidation by a factor of three. Weighted by the difference in turnover frequencies for the two isotopes, this would imply a chemicurrent yield 5 times greater for D 2 compared to H 2, contrary to what is expected given the higher mass of D 2. Reversible changes in the rectification factor of the diode are observed when switching between D 2 and H 2. These changes are a likely cause for the differences in current between the two isotopes. In the nanodiode experiments, surface chemistry leads to charge flow, suggesting the possibility of creating charge flow to tune surface chemistry. This was done first by exposing a Pt/Si diode to visible light while using it as a catalyst for H 2 oxidation. Absorption of the light in the Si, combined with the band bending at the interface, gives rise to a steady-state flow of hot holes to the

  10. Effective charges of ionic liquid determined self-consistently through combination of molecular dynamics simulation and density-functional theory.

    PubMed

    Ishizuka, Ryosuke; Matubayasi, Nobuyuki

    2017-11-15

    A self-consistent scheme combining the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and density functional theory (DFT) was recently proposed to incorporate the effects of the charge transfer and polarization of ions into non-poralizable force fields of ionic liquids for improved description of energetics and dynamics. The purpose of the present work is to analyze the detailed setups of the MD/DFT scheme by focusing on how the basis set, exchange-correlation (XC) functional, charge-fitting method or force field for the intramolecular and Lennard-Jones interactions affects the MD/DFT results of 1,3-dimethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide ( [C1mim][NTf2]) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium glycinate ( [C2mim][Gly]). It was found that the double-zeta valence polarized or larger size of basis set is required for the convergence of the effective charge of the ion. The choice of the XC functional was further not influential as far as the generalized gradient approximation is used. The charge-fitting method and force field govern the accuracy of the MD/DFT scheme, on the other hand. We examined the charge-fitting methods of Blöchl, the iterative Hirshfeld (Hirshfeld-I), and REPEAT in combination with Lopes et al.'s force field and general AMBER force field. There is no single combination of charge fitting and force field that provides good agreements with the experiments, while the MD/DFT scheme reduces the effective charges of the ions and leads to better description of energetics and dynamics compared to the original force field with unit charges. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Amino-Acid-Induced Preferential Orientation of Perovskite Crystals for Enhancing Interfacial Charge Transfer and Photovoltaic Performance.

    PubMed

    Shih, Yen-Chen; Lan, Yu-Bing; Li, Chia-Shuo; Hsieh, Hsiao-Chi; Wang, Leeyih; Wu, Chih-I; Lin, King-Fu

    2017-06-01

    Interfacial engineering of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is attracting intensive attention owing to the charge transfer efficiency at an interface, which greatly influences the photovoltaic performance. This study demonstrates the modification of a TiO 2 electron-transporting layer with various amino acids, which affects charge transfer efficiency at the TiO 2 /CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 interface in PSC, among which the l-alanine-modified cell exhibits the best power conversion efficiency with 30% enhancement. This study also shows that the (110) plane of perovskite crystallites tends to align in the direction perpendicular to the amino-acid-modified TiO 2 as observed in grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering of thin CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 perovskite film. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy reveals less charge transfer resistance at the TiO 2 /CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 interface after being modified with amino acids, which is also supported by the lower intensity of steady-state photoluminescence (PL) and the reduced PL lifetime of perovskite. In addition, based on the PL measurement with excitation from different side of the sample, amino-acid-modified samples show less surface trapping effect compared to the sample without modification, which may also facilitate charge transfer efficiency at the interface. The results suggest that appropriate orientation of perovskite crystallites at the interface and trap-passivation are the niche for better photovoltaic performance. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Neutralized ion beam modification of cellulose membranes for study of ion charge effect on ion-beam-induced DNA transfer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prakrajang, K.; Sangwijit, K.; Anuntalabhochai, S.; Wanichapichart, P.; Yu, L. D.

    2012-02-01

    Low-energy ion beam biotechnology (IBBT) has recently been rapidly developed worldwide. Ion-beam-induced DNA transfer is one of the important applications of IBBT. However, mechanisms involved in this application are not yet well understood. In this study plasma-neutralized ion beam was applied to investigate ion charge effect on induction of DNA transfer. Argon ion beam at 7.5 keV was neutralized by RF-driven plasma in the beam path and then bombarded cellulose membranes which were used as the mimetic plant cell envelope. Electrical properties such as impedance and capacitance of the membranes were measured after the bombardment. An in vitro experiment on plasmid DNA transfer through the cellulose membrane was followed up. The results showed that the ion charge input played an important role in the impedance and capacitance changes which would affect DNA transfer. Generally speaking, neutral particle beam bombardment of biologic cells was more effective in inducing DNA transfer than charged ion beam bombardment.

  13. Scientific Computation Application Partnerships in Materials and Chemical Sciences, Charge Transfer and Charge Transport in Photoactivated Systems, Developing Electron-Correlated Methods for Excited State Structure and Dynamics in the NWChem Software Suite

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cramer, Christopher J.

    Charge transfer and charge transport in photoactivated systems are fundamental processes that underlie solar energy capture, solar energy conversion, and photoactivated catalysis, both organometallic and enzymatic. We developed methods, algorithms, and software tools needed for reliable treatment of the underlying physics for charge transfer and charge transport, an undertaking with broad applicability to the goals of the fundamental-interaction component of the Department of Energy Office of Basic Energy Sciences and the exascale initiative of the Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research.

  14. Molecular simulation study of feruloyl esterase adsorption on charged surfaces: effects of surface charge density and ionic strength.

    PubMed

    Liu, Jie; Peng, Chunwang; Yu, Gaobo; Zhou, Jian

    2015-10-06

    The surrounding conditions, such as surface charge density and ionic strength, play an important role in enzyme adsorption. The adsorption of a nonmodular type-A feruloyl esterase from Aspergillus niger (AnFaeA) on charged surfaces was investigated by parallel tempering Monte Carlo (PTMC) and all-atom molecular dynamics (AAMD) simulations at different surface charge densities (±0.05 and ±0.16 C·m(-2)) and ionic strengths (0.007 and 0.154 M). The adsorption energy, orientation, and conformational changes were analyzed. Simulation results show that whether AnFaeA can adsorb onto a charged surface is mainly controlled by electrostatic interactions between AnFaeA and the charged surface. The electrostatic interactions between AnFaeA and charged surfaces are weakened when the ionic strength increases. The positively charged surface at low surface charge density and high ionic strength conditions can maximize the utilization of the immobilized AnFaeA. The counterion layer plays a key role in the adsorption of AnFaeA on the negatively charged COOH-SAM. The native conformation of AnFaeA is well preserved under all of these conditions. The results of this work can be used for the controlled immobilization of AnFaeA.

  15. Theoretical study on the spectroscopic and third-order nonlinear optical properties of two-dimensional charge-transfer pyrazine derivatives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Haipeng; Zhang, Yi; Bi, Zetong; Xu, Runfeng; Li, Mingxue; Shen, Xiaopeng; Tang, Gang; Han, Kui

    2017-12-01

    In this paper, density functional theory method was employed to study the electronic absorption spectrum and electronic static second hyperpolarisability of X-shaped pyrazine derivatives with two-dimensional charge-transfer structures. Computational results show that the push-pull electron abilities of the substituent groups and the length of the conjugated chains affect the electronic spectrum and static second hyperpolarisability of the pyrazine derivatives. As the push-pull electron abilities of the substituent groups or the length of the conjugated chains increases, the frontier molecular orbital energy gap decreases, resulting in increased second hyperpolarisability and redshift of the electronic absorption bands. The electronic absorption spectra of the pyrazine derivatives maintain good transparency in the blue light band. The electronic static second hyperpolarisability exhibits a linear relationship to the frontier molecular orbital energy gap. Particularly, increasing/decreasing the push-pull electron abilities of the substituent groups considerably affect the static second hyperpolarisability in long conjugated systems, which is important to the modulation of molecular organic nonlinear optical (NLO) properties. The studied pyrazine derivatives show large third-order NLO response and good transparency in the blue light band and are thus promising candidates as NLO materials for photonics applications.

  16. Molecular Simulation Results on Charged Carbon Nanotube Forest-Based Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Muralidharan, Ajay; Pratt, Lawrence R; Hoffman, Gary G; Chaudhari, Mangesh I; Rempe, Susan B

    2018-06-22

    Electrochemical double-layer capacitances of charged carbon nanotube (CNT) forests with tetraethyl ammonium tetrafluoro borate electrolyte in propylene carbonate are studied on the basis of molecular dynamics simulation. Direct molecular simulation of the filling of pore spaces of the forest is feasible even with realistic, small CNT spacings. The numerical solution of the Poisson equation based on the extracted average charge densities then yields a regular experimental dependence on the width of the pore spaces, in contrast to the anomalous pattern observed in experiments on other carbon materials and also in simulations on planar slot-like pores. The capacitances obtained have realistic magnitudes but are insensitive to electric potential differences between the electrodes in this model. This agrees with previous calculations on CNT forest supercapacitors, but not with experiments which have suggested electrochemical doping for these systems. Those phenomena remain for further theory/modeling work. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Dual fluorescence of excited state intra-molecular proton transfer of HBFO: mechanistic understanding, substituent and solvent effects.

    PubMed

    Yang, Wenjing; Chen, Xuebo

    2014-03-07

    A combined approach of the multiconfigurational perturbation theory with the Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus methodology has been employed to calculate the minimum potential energy profiles and the rates of excited state intra-molecular proton transfer (ESIPT) for the WOLED material molecule of HBFO and its four meta- or para-substituted compounds in gas phase, acetonitrile and cyclohexane solvents. The kinetic control for these reactions is quantitatively determined and extensively studied on the basis of the accurate potential energy surfaces when the thermodynamic factor associated with the free energy change becomes negligible in the case of the existence of a significant barrier in the ESIPT process. These computational efforts contribute to a deep understanding of the ESIPT mechanism, dual emission characteristics, kinetic controlling factor, substituent and solvent effects for these material molecules. The white light emission is generated by the establishment of dynamic equilibrium between enol and keto forms in the charge transfer excited SCT((1)ππ*) state. The performance of white light emission is quantitatively demonstrated to be mainly sensitive to the molecular tailoring approach of the electronic properties of meta- or para- substituents by the modulation of the forward/backward ESIPT rate ratio. The quality of white light emission is slightly tunable through its surrounding solvent environment. These computational results will provide a useful strategy for the molecular design of OLED and WOLED materials.

  18. Charge Transfer Modulated Self-Assembly in Poly(aryl ether) Dendron Derivatives with Improved Stability and Transport Characteristics.

    PubMed

    Satapathy, Sitakanta; Prasad, Edamana

    2016-10-05

    Alteration of native gelation properties of anthracene and pyrene cored first generation poly(aryl ether) dendrons, G1-An and G1-Py, by introducing a common acceptor, 2,4,7-trinitro-9H-fluoren-9-one (TNF), results in forming charge transfer gels in long chain alcoholic solvents. This strategy leads to significant perturbation of optical and electronic properties within the gel matrix. Consequently, a noticeable increase of their electrical conductivities is observed, making these poly(aryl ether) dendron based gels potential candidates for organic electronics. While the dc-conductivity (σ) value for the native gel from G1-An is 2.8 × 10 -4 S m -1 , the value increased 3 times (σ = 8.7 × 10 -4 S m -1 ) for its corresponding charge transfer gel. Further, the dc-conductivity for the native gel self-assembled from G1-Py dramatically enhanced by approximately an order of magnitude from 4.9 × 10 -4 to 1.3 × 10 -3 S m -1 , under the influence of an acceptor. Apart from H-bonding and π···π interactions, charge transfer results in the formation of a robust 3D network of fibers, with improved aspect ratio, providing high thermo-mechanical stability to the gels compared to the native ones. The charge transfer gels self-assembled from G1-An/TNF (1:1) and G1-Py/TNF exhibit a 7.3- and 2.5-fold increase in their yield stress, respectively, compared to their native assemblies. A similar trend follows in the case of their thermal stabilities. This is attributed to the typical bilayer self-assembly of the former which is not present in the case of G1-Py/TNF charge transfer gel. Density functional calculations provide deeper insights accounting for the role of charge transfer interactions in the mode of self-assembly. The 1D potential energy surface for the G1-An/TNF dimer and G1-Py/TNF dimer is found to be 11.8 and 1.9 kcal mol -1 more stable than their corresponding native gel dimers, G1-An/G1-An and G1-Py/G1-Py, respectively.

  19. Quasi-four-body treatment of charge transfer in the collision of protons with atomic helium: I. Thomas related mechanisms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Safarzade, Zohre; Fathi, Reza; Shojaei Akbarabadi, Farideh; Bolorizadeh, Mohammad A.

    2018-04-01

    The scattering of a completely bare ion by atoms larger than hydrogen is at least a four-body interaction, and the charge transfer channel involves a two-step process. Amongst the two-step interactions of the high-velocity single charge transfer in an anion-atom collision, there is one whose amplitude demonstrates a peak in the angular distribution of the cross sections. This peak, the so-called Thomas peak, was predicted by Thomas in a two-step interaction, classically, which could also be described through three-body quantum mechanical models. This work discusses a four-body quantum treatment of the charge transfer in ion-atom collisions, where two-step interactions illustrating a Thomas peak are emphasized. In addition, the Pauli exclusion principle is taken into account for the initial and final states as well as the operators. It will be demonstrated that there is a momentum condition for each two-step interaction to occur in a single charge transfer channel, where new classical interactions lead to the Thomas mechanism.

  20. Study of the Charge Transfer Process of LaNi5 Type Electrodes in Ni-MH Batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Le, Xuan Que; Nguyen, Phu Thuy

    2002-12-01

    As a result of the charge process of LaNi5 type electrode, hydrogen is reversibly absorbed on the electrode surface. The process consists two principal steps. During the both processes, the first reaction step occurs in the interface solid/liquid, negatively charged, with high static electric field, where the double layer structure became more compact. The transfer of charge under high electric field depends on many factors, principally on compositions of the electrode materials. Effects on that of Co, Fe, Mn substitutes, with different concentrations, have been comparatively studied using electrochemical technique. The analyse of interface C -.V study results has been realised, respecting Mott-Schottky relation. Optimal contents of some additives have been discussed. Some advantages of the applied electrochemical methods have been confirmed. The mechanism of the charges transfer and of the hydrogen reversible storage in the crystal structure in the batteries has been discussed. With the proposed mechanism, one can more explicitly understand the difference of the magnetic effect of the electrode materials before and after charge-discharge process can be explained.

  1. Charge-transfer complexes of 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone with amino molecules in polar solvents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berto, Silvia; Chiavazza, Enrico; Ribotta, Valentina; Daniele, Pier Giuseppe; Barolo, Claudia; Giacomino, Agnese; Vione, Davide; Malandrino, Mery

    2015-10-01

    The charge-transfer complexes have scientific relevance because this type of molecular interaction is at the basis of the activity of pharmacological compounds and because the absorption bands of the complexes can be used for the quantification of electron donor molecules. This work aims to assess the stability of the charge-transfer complexes between the electron acceptor 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ) and two drugs, procaine and atenolol, in acetonitrile and ethanol. The stability of DDQ in solution and the time required to obtain the maximum complex formation were evaluated. The stoichiometry and the stability of the complexes were determined, respectively, by Job's plot method and by the elaboration of UV-vis titrations data. The latter task was carried out by using the non-linear global analysis approach to determine the equilibrium constants. This approach to data elaboration allowed us to overcome the disadvantages of the classical linear-regression method, to obtain reliable values of the association constants and to calculate the entire spectra of the complexes. NMR spectra were recorded to identify the portion of the donor molecule that was involved in the interaction. The data support the participation of the aliphatic amino groups in complex formation and exclude the involvement of the aromatic amine present in the procaine molecule.

  2. Charge Profile Analysis Reveals That Activation of Pro-apoptotic Regulators Bax and Bak Relies on Charge Transfer Mediated Allosteric Regulation

    PubMed Central

    Ionescu, Crina-Maria; Svobodová Vařeková, Radka; Prehn, Jochen H. M.; Huber, Heinrich J.; Koča, Jaroslav

    2012-01-01

    The pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Bak are essential for executing programmed cell death (apoptosis), yet the mechanism of their activation is not properly understood at the structural level. For the first time in cell death research, we calculated intra-protein charge transfer in order to study the structural alterations and their functional consequences during Bax activation. Using an electronegativity equalization model, we investigated the changes in the Bax charge profile upon activation by a functional peptide of its natural activator protein, Bim. We found that charge reorganizations upon activator binding mediate the exposure of the functional sites of Bax, rendering Bax active. The affinity of the Bax C-domain for its binding groove is decreased due to the Arg94-mediated abrogation of the Ser184-Asp98 interaction. We further identified a network of charge reorganizations that confirms previous speculations of allosteric sensing, whereby the activation information is conveyed from the activation site, through the hydrophobic core of Bax, to the well-distanced functional sites of Bax. The network was mediated by a hub of three residues on helix 5 of the hydrophobic core of Bax. Sequence and structural alignment revealed that this hub was conserved in the Bak amino acid sequence, and in the 3D structure of folded Bak. Our results suggest that allostery mediated by charge transfer is responsible for the activation of both Bax and Bak, and that this might be a prototypical mechanism for a fast activation of proteins during signal transduction. Our method can be applied to any protein or protein complex in order to map the progress of allosteric changes through the proteins' structure. PMID:22719244

  3. A temperature dependent study on charge dynamics in organic molecular device: Effect of shallow traps on space charge limited behavior

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mukherjee, A. K.; Kavala, A. K.

    2014-04-01

    Shallow traps play a significant role in influencing charge dynamics through organic molecular thin films, such as pentacene. Sandwich cells of pentacene capped by gold electrodes are an excellent specimen to study the nature of underlying charge dynamics. In this paper, self-consistent numerical simulation of I-V characteristics is performed at various temperatures. The results have revealed negative value of Poole Frenkel coefficient. The location of trap energy level is found to be located at 0.24 eV above the highest occupied molecular orbit (HOMO) level of pentacene. Other physical parameters related to trap levels, such as density of states due to traps and effective carrier density due to traps, have also been estimated in this study.

  4. Understanding the molecular mechanism of pulse current charging for stable lithium-metal batteries

    PubMed Central

    Li, Qi; Tan, Shen; Li, Linlin; Lu, Yingying; He, Yi

    2017-01-01

    High energy and safe electrochemical storage are critical components in multiple emerging fields of technologies. Rechargeable lithium-metal batteries are considered to be promising alternatives for current lithium-ion batteries, leading to as much as a 10-fold improvement in anode storage capacity (from 372 to 3860 mAh g−1). One of the major challenges for commercializing lithium-metal batteries is the reliability and safety issue, which is often associated with uneven lithium electrodeposition (lithium dendrites) during the charging stage of the battery cycling process. We report that stable lithium-metal batteries can be achieved by simply charging cells with square-wave pulse current. We investigated the effects of charging period and frequency as well as the mechanisms that govern this process at the molecular level. Molecular simulations were performed to study the diffusion and the solvation structure of lithium cations (Li+) in bulk electrolyte. The model predicts that loose association between cations and anions can enhance the transport of Li+ and eventually stabilize the lithium electrodeposition. We also performed galvanostatic measurements to evaluate the cycling behavior and cell lifetime under pulsed electric field and found that the cell lifetime can be more than doubled using certain pulse current waveforms. Both experimental and simulation results demonstrate that the effectiveness of pulse current charging on dendrite suppression can be optimized by choosing proper time- and frequency-dependent pulses. This work provides a molecular basis for understanding the mechanisms of pulse current charging to mitigating lithium dendrites and designing pulse current waveforms for stable lithium-metal batteries. PMID:28776039

  5. Charge Transfer and Collection in Dilute Organic Donor-Acceptor Heterojunction Blends.

    PubMed

    Ding, Kan; Liu, Xiao; Forrest, Stephen R

    2018-05-09

    Experimental and theoretical approaches are used to understand the role of nanomorphology on exciton dissociation and charge collection at dilute donor-acceptor (D-A) organic heterojunctions (HJs). Specifically, two charge transfer (CT) states in D-A mixed HJs comprising nanocrystalline domains of tetraphenyldibenzoperiflanthene (DBP) as the donor and C 70 as the acceptor are unambiguously related to the nanomorphology of the mixed layer. Alternating DBP:C 70 multilayer stacks are used to identify and control the optical properties of the CT states, as well as to simulate the dilute mixed heterojunctions. A kinetic Monte Carlo model along with photoluminescence spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy are used to quantitatively evaluate the layer morphology under various growth conditions. As a result, we are able to understand the counterintuitive observation of high charge extraction efficiency and device performance of DBP:C 70 mixed layer photovoltaics at surprisingly low (∼10%) donor concentrations.

  6. Active pixel sensor having intra-pixel charge transfer with analog-to-digital converter

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fossum, Eric R. (Inventor); Mendis, Sunetra K. (Inventor); Pain, Bedabrata (Inventor); Nixon, Robert H. (Inventor); Zhou, Zhimin (Inventor)

    2003-01-01

    An imaging device formed as a monolithic complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit in an industry standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor process, the integrated circuit including a focal plane array of pixel cells, each one of the cells including a photogate overlying the substrate for accumulating photo-generated charge in an underlying portion of the substrate, a readout circuit including at least an output field effect transistor formed in the substrate, and a charge coupled device section formed on the substrate adjacent the photogate having a sensing node connected to the output transistor and at least one charge coupled device stage for transferring charge from the underlying portion of the substrate to the sensing node and an analog-to-digital converter formed in the substrate connected to the output of the readout circuit.

  7. Active pixel sensor having intra-pixel charge transfer with analog-to-digital converter

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fossum, Eric R. (Inventor); Mendis, Sunetra K. (Inventor); Pain, Bedabrata (Inventor); Nixon, Robert H. (Inventor); Zhou, Zhimin (Inventor)

    2000-01-01

    An imaging device formed as a monolithic complementary metal oxide semiconductor Integrated circuit in an industry standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor process, the integrated circuit including a focal plane array of pixel cells, each one of the cells including a photogate overlying the substrate for accumulating photo-generated charge in an underlying portion of the substrate, a readout circuit including at least an output field effect transistor formed in the substrate, and a charge coupled device section formed on the substrate adjacent the photogate having a sensing node connected to the output transistor and at least one charge coupled device stage for transferring charge from the underlying portion of the substrate to the sensing node and an analog-to-digital converter formed in the substrate connected to the output of the readout circuit.

  8. Spectral and photophysical properties of intramolecular charge transfer fluorescence probe: 4'-Dimethylamino-2,5-dihydroxychalcone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Zhicheng; Bai, Guan; Dong, Chuan

    2005-12-01

    The spectral and photophysical properties of a new intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) probe, namely 4'-dimethylamino-2,5-dihydroxychalcone (DMADHC) were studied in different solvents by using steady-state absorption and emission spectroscopy. Whereas the absorption spectrum undergoes minor change with increasing polarity of the solvents, the fluorescence spectrum experiences a distinct bathochromic shift in the band position and the fluorescence quantum yield increases reaching a maximum before decrease with increasing the solvent polarity. The magnitude of change in the dipole moment was calculated based on the Lippert-Mataga equation. These results give the evidence about the intramolecular charge transfer character in the emitting singlet state of this compound.

  9. Spectral and photophysical properties of intramolecular charge transfer fluorescence probe: 4'-dimethylamino-2,5-dihydroxychalcone.

    PubMed

    Xu, Zhicheng; Bai, Guan; Dong, Chuan

    2005-12-01

    The spectral and photophysical properties of a new intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) probe, namely 4'-dimethylamino-2,5-dihydroxychalcone (DMADHC) were studied in different solvents by using steady-state absorption and emission spectroscopy. Whereas the absorption spectrum undergoes minor change with increasing polarity of the solvents, the fluorescence spectrum experiences a distinct bathochromic shift in the band position and the fluorescence quantum yield increases reaching a maximum before decrease with increasing the solvent polarity. The magnitude of change in the dipole moment was calculated based on the Lippert-Mataga equation. These results give the evidence about the intramolecular charge transfer character in the emitting singlet state of this compound.

  10. Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking Facilitates Metal-to-Ligand Charge Transfer: A Quantitative Two-Photon Absorption Study of Ferrocene-phenyleneethynylene Oligomers.

    PubMed

    Mikhaylov, Alexander; Uudsemaa, Merle; Trummal, Aleksander; Arias, Eduardo; Moggio, Ivana; Ziolo, Ronald; Cooper, Thomas M; Rebane, Aleksander

    2018-04-19

    Change of the permanent molecular electric dipole moment, Δμ, in a series of nominally centrosymmetric and noncentrosymmteric ferrocene-phenyleneethynylene oligomers was estimated by measuring the two-photon absorption cross-section spectra of the lower energy metal-to-ligand charge-transfer transitions using femtosecond nonlinear transmission method and was found to vary in the range up to 12 D, with the highest value corresponding to the most nonsymmetric system. Calculations of the Δμ performed by the TD-DFT method show quantitative agreement with the experimental values and reveal that facile rotation of the ferrocene moieties relative to the organic ligand breaks the ground-state inversion symmetry in the nominally symmetric structures.

  11. Rotating fiber array molecular driver and molecular momentum transfer device constructed therewith

    DOEpatents

    Milleron, Norman

    1983-01-01

    A rotating fiber array molecular driver is disclosed which includes a magnetically suspended and rotated central hub to which is attached a plurality of elongated fibers extending radially therefrom. The hub is rotated so as to straighten and axially extend the fibers and to provide the fibers with a tip speed which exceeds the average molecular velocity of fluid molecules entering between the fibers. Molecules colliding with the sides of the rotating fibers are accelerated to the tip speed of the fiber and given a momentum having a directional orientation within a relatively narrow distribution angle at a point radially outward of the hub, which is centered and peaks at the normal to the fiber sides in the direction of fiber rotation. The rotating fiber array may be used with other like fiber arrays or with other stationary structures to form molecular momentum transfer devices such as vacuum pumps, molecular separators, molecular coaters, or molecular reactors.

  12. Ultrafast charge transfer between MoTe2 and MoS2 monolayers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pan, Shudi; Ceballos, Frank; Bellus, Matthew Z.; Zereshki, Peymon; Zhao, Hui

    2017-03-01

    High quality and stable electrical contact between metal and two-dimensional materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides, is a necessary requirement that has yet to be achieved in order to successfully exploit the advantages that these materials offer to electronics and optoelectronics. MoTe2, owing to its phase changing property, can potentially offer a solution. A recent study demonstrated that metallic phase of MoTe2 connects its semiconducting phase with very low resistance. To utilize this property to connect other two-dimensional materials, it is important to achieve efficient charge transfer between MoTe2 and other semiconducting materials. Using MoS2 as an example, we report ultrafast and efficient charge transfer between MoTe2 and MoS2 monolayers. In the transient absorption measurements, an ultrashort pump pulse is used to selectively excite electrons in MoTe2. The appearance of the excited electrons in the conduction band of MoS2 is monitored by using a probe pulse that is tuned to the resonance of MoS2. We found that electrons transfer to MoS2 on a time scale of at most 0.3 ps. The transferred electrons give rise to a large transient absorption signal at both A-exciton and B-exciton resonances due to the screening effect. We also observed ultrafast transfer of holes from MoS2 to MoTe2. Our results suggest the feasibility of using MoTe2 as a bridge material to connect MoS2 and other transition metal dichalcogenides, and demonstrate a new transition metal dichalcogenide heterostructure involving MoTe2, which extends the spectral range of such structures to infrared.

  13. Laboratory Measurements of Charge Transfer on Atomic Hydrogen at Thermal Energies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Havener, C. C.; Vane, C. R.; Krause, H. F.; Stancil, P. C.; Mroczkowski, T.; Savin, D. W.

    2002-01-01

    We describe our ongoing program to measure velocity dependent charge transfer (CT) cross sections for selected ions on atomic hydrogen using the ion-aloin merged-beams apparatus at Oak Ridge Natioiial Laboralory. Our focus is on those ions for which CT plays an important role in determining the ionization structure, line emis sion, and thermal structure of observed cosmic photoionized plasmas.

  14. Influence of Processing Additives on Charge-Transfer Time Scales and Sound Velocity in Organic Bulk Heterojunction Films.

    PubMed

    Kaake, Loren G; Welch, Gregory C; Moses, Daniel; Bazan, Guillermo C; Heeger, Alan J

    2012-05-17

    The role of processing additives in organic bulk heterojunction thin films was investigated by means of transient absorption spectroscopy. The rate of ultrafast charge transfer was found to increase when a small amount of diiodooctane was used during film formation. In addition, coherent acoustic phonons were observed, and their velocity was determined. A strong correlation between the sound velocity and the charge-transfer time scale was observed, both of which could be explained by a subtle increase in thin film density.

  15. Non-perturbative Quantification of Ionic Charge Transfer through Nm-Scale Protein Pores Using Graphene Microelectrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ping, Jinglei; Johnson, A. T. Charlie; A. T. Charlie Johnson Team

    Conventional electrical methods for detecting charge transfer through protein pores perturb the electrostatic condition of the solution and chemical reactivity of the pore, and are not suitable to be used for complex biofluids. We developed a non-perturbative methodology ( fW input power) for quantifying trans-pore electrical current and detecting the pore status (i.e., open vs. closes) via graphene microelectrodes. Ferritin was used as a model protein featuring a large interior compartment, well-separated from the exterior solution with discrete pores as charge commuting channels. The charge flowing through the ferritin pores transfers into the graphene microelectrode and is recorded by an electrometer. In this example, our methodology enables the quantification of an inorganic nanoparticle-protein nanopore interaction in complex biofluids. The authors acknowledge the support from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the U.S. Army Research Office under Grant Number W911NF1010093.

  16. Activation of molecular catalysts using semiconductor quantum dots

    DOEpatents

    Meyer, Thomas J [Chapel Hill, NC; Sykora, Milan [Los Alamos, NM; Klimov, Victor I [Los Alamos, NM

    2011-10-04

    Photocatalytic materials based on coupling of semiconductor nanocrystalline quantum dots (NQD) and molecular catalysts. These materials have capability to drive or catalyze non-spontaneous chemical reactions in the presence of visible radiation, ultraviolet radiation, or both. The NQD functions in these materials as a light absorber and charge generator. Following light absorption, the NQD activates a molecular catalyst adsorbed on the surface of the NQD via transfer of one or more charges (either electrons or electron-holes) from the NQD to the molecular catalyst. The activated molecular catalyst can then drive a chemical reaction. A photoelectrolytic device that includes such photocatalytic materials is also described.

  17. Direct observation of sequential oxidations of a titania-bound molecular proxy catalyst generated through illumination of molecular sensitizers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Hsiang-Yun; Ardo, Shane

    2018-01-01

    Natural photosynthesis uses the energy in sunlight to oxidize or reduce reaction centres multiple times, therefore preparing each reaction centre for a multiple-electron-transfer reaction that will ultimately generate stable reaction products. This process relies on multiple chromophores per reaction centre to quickly generate the active state of the reaction centre and to outcompete deleterious charge recombination. Using a similar design principle, we report spectroscopic evidence for the generation of a twice-oxidized TiO2-bound molecular proxy catalyst after low-intensity visible-light excitation of co-anchored molecular Ru(II)-polypyridyl dyes. Electron transfer from an excited dye to TiO2 generated a Ru(III) state that subsequently and repeatedly reacted with neighbouring Ru(II) dyes via self-exchange electron transfer to ultimately oxidize a distant co-anchored proxy catalyst before charge recombination. The largest yield for twice-oxidized proxy catalysts occurred when they were present at low coverage, suggesting that large dye/electrocatalyst ratios are also desired in dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells.

  18. Structural dynamics of a noncovalent charge transfer complex from femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Fujisawa, Tomotsumi; Creelman, Mark; Mathies, Richard A

    2012-09-06

    Femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy is used to examine the structural dynamics of photoinduced charge transfer within a noncovalent electron acceptor/donor complex of pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA, electron acceptor) and hexamethylbenzene (HMB, electron donor) in ethylacetate and acetonitrile. The evolution of the vibrational spectrum reveals the ultrafast structural changes that occur during the charge separation (Franck-Condon excited state complex → contact ion pair) and the subsequent charge recombination (contact ion pair → ground state complex). The Franck-Condon excited state is shown to have significant charge-separated character because its vibrational spectrum is similar to that of the ion pair. The charge separation rate (2.5 ps in ethylacetate and ∼0.5 ps in acetonitrile) is comparable to solvation dynamics and is unaffected by the perdeuteration of HMB, supporting the dominant role of solvent rearrangement in charge separation. On the other hand, the charge recombination slows by a factor of ∼1.4 when using perdeuterated HMB, indicating that methyl hydrogen motions of HMB mediate the charge recombination process. Resonance Raman enhancement of the HMB vibrations in the complex reveals that the ring stretches of HMB, and especially the C-CH(3) deformations are the primary acceptor modes promoting charge recombination.

  19. Molecule-Doped Nickel Oxide: Verified Charge Transfer and Planar Inverted Mixed Cation Perovskite Solar Cell.

    PubMed

    Chen, Wei; Zhou, Yecheng; Wang, Linjing; Wu, Yinghui; Tu, Bao; Yu, Binbin; Liu, Fangzhou; Tam, Ho-Won; Wang, Gan; Djurišić, Aleksandra B; Huang, Li; He, Zhubing

    2018-05-01

    Both conductivity and mobility are essential to charge transfer by carrier transport layers (CTLs) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The defects derived from generally used ionic doping method lead to the degradation of carrier mobility and parasite recombinations. In this work, a novel molecular doping of NiO x hole transport layer (HTL) is realized successfully by 2,2'-(perfluoronaphthalene-2,6-diylidene)dimalononitrile (F6TCNNQ). Determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, the Fermi level (E F ) of NiO x HTLs is increased from -4.63 to -5.07 eV and valence band maximum (VBM)-E F declines from 0.58 to 0.29 eV after F6TCNNQ doping. The energy level offset between the VBMs of NiO x and perovskites declines from 0.18 to 0.04 eV. Combining with first-principle calculations, electrostatic force microscopy is applied for the first time to verify direct electron transfer from NiO x to F6TCNNQ. The average power conversion efficiency of CsFAMA mixed cation PSCs is boosted by ≈8% depending on F6TCNNQ-doped NiOx HTLs. Strikingly, the champion cell conversion efficiency of CsFAMA mixed cations and MAPbI 3 -based devices gets to 20.86% and 19.75%, respectively. Different from passivation effect, the results offer an extremely promising molecular doping method for inorganic CTLs in PSCs. This methodology definitely paves a novel way to modulate the doping in hybrid electronics more than perovskite and organic solar cells. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Charge Transfer Enhancement in the D-π-A Type Porphyrin Dyes: A Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) Study.

    PubMed

    Kang, Guo-Jun; Song, Chao; Ren, Xue-Feng

    2016-11-25

    The electronic geometries and optical properties of two D-π-A type zinc porphyrin dyes (NCH₃-YD2 and TPhe-YD) were systematically investigated by density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) to reveal the origin of significantly altered charge transfer enhancement by changing the electron donor of the famous porphyrin-based sensitizer YD2-o-C8. The molecular geometries and photophysical properties of dyes before and after binding to the TiO₂ cluster were fully investigated. From the analyses of natural bond orbital (NBO), extended charge decomposition analysis (ECDA), and electron density variations (Δρ) between the excited state and ground state, it was found that the introduction of N(CH₃)₂ and 1,1,2-triphenylethene groups enhanced the intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) character compared to YD2-o-C8. The absorption wavelength and transition possess character were significantly influenced by N(CH₃)₂ and 1,1,2-triphenylethene groups. NCH₃-YD2 with N(CH₃)₂ groups in the donor part is an effective way to improve the interactions between the dyes and TiO₂ surface, light having efficiency (LHE), and free energy change (ΔG inject ), which is expected to be an efficient dye for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).

  1. Charge-Transfer-Induced p-Type Channel in MoS2 Flake Field Effect Transistors.

    PubMed

    Min, Sung-Wook; Yoon, Minho; Yang, Sung Jin; Ko, Kyeong Rok; Im, Seongil

    2018-01-31

    The two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenide semiconductor MoS 2 has received extensive attention for decades because of its outstanding electrical and mechanical properties for next-generation devices. One weakness of MoS 2 , however, is that it shows only n-type conduction, revealing its limitations for homogeneous PN diodes and complementary inverters. Here, we introduce a charge-transfer method to modify the conduction property of MoS 2 from n- to p-type. We initially deposited an n-type InGaZnO (IGZO) film on top of the MoS 2 flake so that electron charges might be transferred from MoS 2 to IGZO during air ambient annealing. As a result, electron charges were depleted in MoS 2 . Such charge depletion lowered the MoS 2 Fermi level, which makes hole conduction favorable in MoS 2 when optimum source/drain electrodes with a high work function are selected. Our IGZO-supported MoS 2 flake field effect transistors (FETs) clearly display channel-type conversion from n- to p-channel in this way. Under short- and long-annealing conditions, n- and p-channel MoS 2 FETs are achieved, respectively, and a low-voltage complementary inverter is demonstrated using both channels in a single MoS 2 flake.

  2. Excitation and charge transfer in low-energy hydrogen atom collisions with neutral iron

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barklem, P. S.

    2018-05-01

    Data for inelastic processes due to hydrogen atom collisions with iron are needed for accurate modelling of the iron spectrum in late-type stars. Excitation and charge transfer in low-energy Fe+H collisions is studied theoretically using a previously presented method based on an asymptotic two-electron linear combination of atomic orbitals model of ionic-covalent interactions in the neutral atom-hydrogen-atom system, together with the multi-channel Landau-Zener model. An extensive calculation including 166 covalent states and 25 ionic states is presented and rate coefficients are calculated for temperatures in the range 1000-20 000 K. The largest rates are found for charge transfer processes to and from two clusters of states around 6.3 and 6.6 eV excitation, corresponding in both cases to active 4d and 5p electrons undergoing transfer. Excitation and de-excitation processes among these two sets of states are also significant. Full Tables and rate coefficient data are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/612/A90

  3. Heat-mediated, ultra-rapid electrophoretic transfer of high and low molecular weight proteins to nitrocellulose membranes.

    PubMed

    Kurien, Biji T; Scofield, R Hal

    2002-08-01

    Here, we report an ultra-rapid method for the transfer of high and low molecular weight proteins to nitrocellulose membranes following sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). In this procedure, the electro-transfer was performed with heated (70-75 degrees C) normal transfer buffer from which methanol had been omitted. Complete transfer of high and low molecular weight proteins (a purified protein, molecular weight protein standards and proteins from a human tissue extract) could be carried out in 10 min for a 0.75-mm, 7% SDS-PAGE gel. For 10% and 12.5% gels (0.75 mm), the corresponding time was 15 min. In the case of 1.5-mm gels, a complete transfer could be carried out in 20 min for 7%, 10% and 12.5% gels. The permeability of the gel is increased by heat, such that the proteins trapped in the polyacrylamide gel matrix can be easily transferred to the membrane. When the heat-mediated transfer method was compared with a conventional transfer protocol, under similar conditions, we found that the latter method transferred minimal low molecular weight proteins while retaining most of the high molecular weight proteins in the gel. In summary, this procedure is very rapid, avoids the use of methanol and is particularly useful for the transfer of high molecular weight proteins.

  4. Spectroscopy of Photovoltaic Materials: Charge-Transfer Complexes and Titanium Dioxide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dillon, Robert John

    The successful function of photovoltaic (PV) and photocatalytic (PC) systems centers primarily on the creation and photophysics of charge separated electron-hole pairs. The pathway leading to separate carriers varies by material; organic materials typically require multiple events to charge separate, whereas inorganic semiconductors can directly produce free carriers. In this study, time-resolved spectroscopy is used to provide insight into two such systems: 1) organic charge-transfer (CT) complexes, where electrons and holes are tightly bound to each other, and 2) Au-TiO2 core-shell nanostructures, where free carriers are directly generated. 1) CT complexes are structurally well defined systems consisting of donor molecules, characterized by having low ionization potentials, and acceptor molecules, characterized by having high electron affinities. Charge-transfer is the excitation of an electron from the HOMO of a donor material directly into the LUMO of the acceptor material, leading to an electron and hole separated across the donor:acceptor interface. The energy of the CT transition is often less than that of the bandgaps of donor and acceptor materials individually, sparking much interest if PV systems can utilize the CT band to generate free carriers from low energy photons. In this work we examine the complexes formed between acceptors tetracyanobenzene (TCNB) and tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) with several aromatic donors. We find excitation of the charge-transfer band of these systems leads to strongly bound electron-hole pairs that exclusively undergo recombination to the ground state. In the case of the TCNB complexes, our initial studies were flummoxed by the samples' generally low threshold for photo and mechanical damage. As our results conflicted with previous literature, a significant portion of this study was spent quantifying the photodegradation process. 2) Unlike the previous system, free carriers are directly photogenerated in TiO2, and the

  5. High-surface-area architectures for improved charge transfer kinetics at the dark electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells.

    PubMed

    Hoffeditz, William L; Katz, Michael J; Deria, Pravas; Martinson, Alex B F; Pellin, Michael J; Farha, Omar K; Hupp, Joseph T

    2014-06-11

    Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) redox shuttles other than triiodide/iodide have exhibited significantly higher charge transfer resistances at the dark electrode. This often results in poor fill factor, a severe detriment to device performance. Rather than moving to dark electrodes of untested materials that may have higher catalytic activity for specific shuttles, the surface area of platinum dark electrodes could be increased, improving the catalytic activity by simply presenting more catalyst to the shuttle solution. A new copper-based redox shuttle that experiences extremely high charge-transfer resistance at conventional Pt dark electrodes yields cells having fill-factors of less than 0.3. By replacing the standard Pt dark electrode with an inverse opal Pt electrode fabricated via atomic layer deposition, the dark electrode surface area is boosted by ca. 50-fold. The resulting increase in interfacial electron transfer rate (decrease in charge-transfer resistance) nearly doubles the fill factor and therefore the overall energy conversion efficiency, illustrating the utility of this high-area electrode for DSCs.

  6. X-ray Structure of a Hg 2+ Complex of Mercuric Reductase (MerA) and Quantum Mechanical/Molecular Mechanical Study of Hg 2+ Transfer between the C-Terminal and Buried Catalytic Site Cysteine Pairs

    DOE PAGES

    Lian, Peng; Guo, Hao-Bo; Riccardi, Demian; ...

    2014-10-24

    Here we report that mercuric reductase, MerA, is a key enzyme in bacterial mercury resistance. This homodimeric enzyme captures and reduces toxic Hg 2+ to Hg 0, which is relatively unreactive and can exit the cell passively. Prior to reduction, the Hg 2+ is transferred from a pair of cysteines (C558' and C559' using Tn501 numbering) at the C-terminus of one monomer to another pair of cysteines (C136 and C141) in the catalytic site of the other monomer. Here, we present the X-ray structure of the C-terminal Hg 2+ complex of the C136A/C141A double mutant of the Tn501 MerA catalyticmore » core and explore the molecular mechanism of this Hg transfer with quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations. The transfer is found to be nearly thermoneutral and to pass through a stable tricoordinated intermediate that is marginally less stable than the two end states. For the overall process, Hg 2+ is always paired with at least two thiolates and thus is present at both the C-terminal and catalytic binding sites as a neutral complex. Prior to Hg 2+ transfer, C141 is negatively charged. As Hg 2+ is transferred into the catalytic site, a proton is transferred from C136 to C559' while C558' becomes negatively charged, resulting in the net transfer of a negative charge over a distance of ~7.5 Å. Thus, the transport of this soft divalent cation is made energetically feasible by pairing a competition between multiple Cys thiols and/or thiolates for Hg 2+ with a competition between the Hg 2+ and protons for the thiolates.« less

  7. Charge Versus Energy Transfer in Atomically Thin Graphene-Transition Metal Dichalcogenide van der Waals Heterostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Froehlicher, Guillaume; Lorchat, Etienne; Berciaud, Stéphane

    2018-01-01

    Made from stacks of two-dimensional materials, van der Waals heterostructures exhibit unique light-matter interactions and are promising for novel optoelectronic devices. The performance of such devices is governed by near-field coupling through, e.g., interlayer charge and/or energy transfer. New concepts and experimental methodologies are needed to properly describe two-dimensional heterointerfaces. Here, we report an original study of interlayer charge and energy transfer in atomically thin metal-semiconductor [i.e., graphene-transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD, here molybdenum diselenide, MoSe2 )] heterostructures using a combination of microphotoluminescence and Raman scattering spectroscopies. The photoluminescence intensity in graphene /MoSe2 is quenched by more than 2 orders of magnitude and rises linearly with the incident photon flux, demonstrating a drastically shortened (about 1 ps) room-temperature MoSe2 exciton lifetime. Key complementary insights are provided from a comprehensive analysis of the graphene and MoSe2 Raman modes, which reveals net photoinduced electron transfer from MoSe2 to graphene and hole accumulation in MoSe2 . Remarkably, the steady-state Fermi energy of graphene saturates at 290 ±15 meV above the Dirac point. This reproducible behavior is observed both in ambient air and in vacuum and is discussed in terms of intrinsic factors (i.e., band offsets) and environmental effects. In this saturation regime, balanced photoinduced flows of electrons and holes may transfer to graphene, a mechanism that effectively leads to energy transfer. Using a broad range of incident photon fluxes and diverse environmental conditions, we find that the presence of net photoinduced charge transfer has no measurable impact on the near-unity photoluminescence quenching efficiency in graphene /MoSe2 . This absence of correlation strongly suggests that energy transfer to graphene (either in the form of electron exchange or dipole-dipole interaction) is the

  8. Charge-transfer optical absorption mechanism of DNA:Ag-nanocluster complexes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Longuinhos, R.; Lúcio, A. D.; Chacham, H.; Alexandre, S. S.

    2016-05-01

    Optical properties of DNA:Ag-nanoclusters complexes have been successfully applied experimentally in Chemistry, Physics, and Biology. Nevertheless, the mechanisms behind their optical activity remain unresolved. In this work, we present a time-dependent density functional study of optical absorption in DNA:Ag4. In all 23 different complexes investigated, we obtain new absorption peaks in the visible region that are not found in either the isolated Ag4 or isolated DNA base pairs. Absorption from red to green are predominantly of charge-transfer character, from the Ag4 to the DNA fragment, while absorption in the blue-violet range are mostly associated to electronic transitions of a mixed character, involving either DNA-Ag4 hybrid orbitals or intracluster orbitals. We also investigate the role of exchange-correlation functionals in the calculated optical spectra. Significant differences are observed between the calculations using the PBE functional (without exact exchange) and the CAM-B3LYP functional (which partly includes exact exchange). Specifically, we observe a tendency of charge-transfer excitations to involve purines bases, and the PBE spectra error is more pronounced in the complexes where the Ag cluster is bound to the purines. Finally, our results also highlight the importance of adding both the complementary base pair and the sugar-phosphate backbone in order to properly characterize the absorption spectrum of DNA:Ag complexes.

  9. Structure and Dynamics of Solvent Landscapes in Charge-Transfer Reactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leite, Vitor B. Pereira

    The dynamics of solvent polarization plays a major role in the control of charge transfer reactions. The success of Marcus theory describing the solvent influence via a single collective quadratic polarization coordinate has been remarkable. Onuchic and Wolynes have recently proposed (J. Chem Phys 98 (3) 2218, 1993) a simple model demonstrating how a many-dimensional-complex model composed by several dipole moments (representing solvent molecules or polar groups in proteins) can be reduced under the appropriate limits into the Marcus Model. This work presents a dynamical study of the same model, which is characterized by two parameters, an average dipole-dipole interaction as a term associated with the potential energy landscape roughness. It is shown why the effective potential, obtained using a thermodynamic approach, is appropriate for the dynamics of the system. At high temperatures, the system exhibits effective diffusive one-dimensional dynamics, where the Born-Marcus limit is recovered. At low temperatures, a glassy phase appears with a slow non-self-averaging dynamics. At intermediate temperatures, the concept of equivalent diffusion paths and polarization dependence effects are discussed. This approach is extended to treat more realistic solvent models. Real solvents are discussed in terms of simple parameters described above, and an analysis of how different regimes affect the rate of charge transfer is presented. Finally, these ideas are correlated to analogous problems in other areas.

  10. Charge-transfer optical absorption mechanism of DNA:Ag-nanocluster complexes.

    PubMed

    Longuinhos, R; Lúcio, A D; Chacham, H; Alexandre, S S

    2016-05-01

    Optical properties of DNA:Ag-nanoclusters complexes have been successfully applied experimentally in Chemistry, Physics, and Biology. Nevertheless, the mechanisms behind their optical activity remain unresolved. In this work, we present a time-dependent density functional study of optical absorption in DNA:Ag_{4}. In all 23 different complexes investigated, we obtain new absorption peaks in the visible region that are not found in either the isolated Ag_{4} or isolated DNA base pairs. Absorption from red to green are predominantly of charge-transfer character, from the Ag_{4} to the DNA fragment, while absorption in the blue-violet range are mostly associated to electronic transitions of a mixed character, involving either DNA-Ag_{4} hybrid orbitals or intracluster orbitals. We also investigate the role of exchange-correlation functionals in the calculated optical spectra. Significant differences are observed between the calculations using the PBE functional (without exact exchange) and the CAM-B3LYP functional (which partly includes exact exchange). Specifically, we observe a tendency of charge-transfer excitations to involve purines bases, and the PBE spectra error is more pronounced in the complexes where the Ag cluster is bound to the purines. Finally, our results also highlight the importance of adding both the complementary base pair and the sugar-phosphate backbone in order to properly characterize the absorption spectrum of DNA:Ag complexes.

  11. Synthesis and electrochemical studies of charge-transfer complexes of thiazolidine-2,4-dione with σ and π acceptors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Prashant; Kumar, Pradeep; Katyal, Anju; Kalra, Rashmi; Dass, Sujata K.; Prakash, Satya; Chandra, Ramesh

    2010-03-01

    In the present work, we report the synthesis and characterization of novel charge-transfer complexes of thiazolidine-2,4-dione (TZD) with sigma acceptor (iodine) and pi acceptors (chloranil, dichlorodicyanoquinone, picric acid and duraquinone). We also evaluated their thermal and electrochemical properties and we conclude that these complexes are frequency dependent. Charge-transfer complex between thiazolidine-2,4-dione and iodine give best conductivity. In conclusion, complex with sigma acceptors are more conducting than with pi acceptors.

  12. On the Charge transport regime of crystalline organic semiconductors: diffusion limited by thermal off-diagonal electronic disorder

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Troisi, Alessandro

    2006-03-01

    In organic crystalline semiconductor molecular components are held together by very weak interactions and the transfer integrals between neighboring molecular orbitals are extremely sensitive to small nuclear displacements. We used a mixed quantum chemical and molecular dynamic methodology to assess the effect of thermal structural fluctuations on the modulation of the transfer integrals between close molecules. We have found that the fluctuations of the transfer integrals are of the same order of magnitude of their average value for pentacene and anthracene. This condition makes the band description inadequate because a dynamic localization takes place and the translational symmetry is completely broken for the electronic states. We also present a simple one-dimensional semiclassical model that incorporates the effects of dynamical localization and allows the numerical computation of the charge mobility for ordered organic semiconductors. These results explain several contrasting experimental observations pointing sometimes to a delocalized ``band-like'' transport and sometimes to the existence of strongly localized charge carriers.

  13. Reactivity of etoricoxib based on computational study of molecular orbitals, molecular electrostatic potential surface and Mulliken charge analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sachdeva, Ritika; Soni, Abhinav; Singh, V. P.; Saini, G. S. S.

    2018-05-01

    Etoricoxib is one of the selective cyclooxygenase inhibitor drug which plays a significant role in the pharmacological management of arthritis and pain. The theoretical investigation of its reactivity is done using Density Functional Theory calculations. Molecular Electrostatic Potential Surface of etoricoxib and its Mulliken atomic charge distribution are used for the prediction of its electrophilic and nucleophilic sites. The detailed analysis of its frontier molecular orbitals is also done.

  14. Evidence for charge-trapping inducing polymorphic structural-phase transition in pentacene.

    PubMed

    Ando, Masahiko; Kehoe, Tom B; Yoneya, Makoto; Ishii, Hiroyuki; Kawasaki, Masahiro; Duffy, Claudia M; Minakata, Takashi; Phillips, Richard T; Sirringhaus, Henning

    2015-01-07

    Trapped-charge-induced transformation of pentacene polymorphs is observed by using in situ Raman spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the charge should be localized in pentacene molecules at the interface with static intermolecular disorder along the long axis. Quantum chemical calculations of the intermolecular transfer integrals suggest the disorder to be large enough to induce Anderson-type localization. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. R1 in the Shaker S4 occupies the gating charge transfer center in the resting state

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Meng-chin A.; Hsieh, Jui-Yi; Mock, Allan F.

    2011-01-01

    During voltage-dependent activation in Shaker channels, four arginine residues in the S4 segment (R1–R4) cross the transmembrane electric field. It has been proposed that R1–R4 movement is facilitated by a “gating charge transfer center” comprising a phenylalanine (F290) in S2 plus two acidic residues, one each in S2 and S3. According to this proposal, R1 occupies the charge transfer center in the resting state, defined as the conformation in which S4 is maximally retracted toward the cytoplasm. However, other evidence suggests that R1 is located extracellular to the charge transfer center, near I287 in S2, in the resting state. To investigate the resting position of R1, we mutated I287 to histidine (I287H), paired it with histidine mutations of key voltage sensor residues, and determined the effect of extracellular Zn2+ on channel activity. In I287H+R1H, Zn2+ generated a slow component of activation with a maximum amplitude (Aslow,max) of ∼56%, indicating that only a fraction of voltage sensors can bind Zn2+ at a holding potential of −80 mV. Aslow,max decreased after applying either depolarizing or hyperpolarizing prepulses from −80 mV. The decline of Aslow,max after negative prepulses indicates that R1 moves inward to abolish ion binding, going beyond the point where reorientation of the I287H and R1H side chains would reestablish a binding site. These data support the proposal that R1 occupies the charge transfer center upon hyperpolarization. Consistent with this, pairing I287H with A359H in the S3–S4 loop generated a Zn2+-binding site. At saturating concentrations, Aslow,max reached 100%, indicating that Zn2+ traps the I287H+A359H voltage sensor in an absorbing conformation. Transferring I287H+A359H into a mutant background that stabilizes the resting state significantly enhanced Zn2+ binding at −80 mV. Our results strongly support the conclusion that R1 occupies the gating charge transfer center in the resting conformation. PMID:21788609

  16. Non-Linearity in Wide Dynamic Range CMOS Image Sensors Utilizing a Partial Charge Transfer Technique.

    PubMed

    Shafie, Suhaidi; Kawahito, Shoji; Halin, Izhal Abdul; Hasan, Wan Zuha Wan

    2009-01-01

    The partial charge transfer technique can expand the dynamic range of a CMOS image sensor by synthesizing two types of signal, namely the long and short accumulation time signals. However the short accumulation time signal obtained from partial transfer operation suffers of non-linearity with respect to the incident light. In this paper, an analysis of the non-linearity in partial charge transfer technique has been carried, and the relationship between dynamic range and the non-linearity is studied. The results show that the non-linearity is caused by two factors, namely the current diffusion, which has an exponential relation with the potential barrier, and the initial condition of photodiodes in which it shows that the error in the high illumination region increases as the ratio of the long to the short accumulation time raises. Moreover, the increment of the saturation level of photodiodes also increases the error in the high illumination region.

  17. Scale-model charge-transfer technique for measuring enhancement factors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kositsky, J.; Nanevicz, J. E.

    1991-01-01

    Determination of aircraft electric field enhancement factors is crucial when using airborne field mill (ABFM) systems to accurately measure electric fields aloft. SRI used the scale model charge transfer technique to determine enhancement factors of several canonical shapes and a scale model Learjet 36A. The measured values for the canonical shapes agreed with known analytic solutions within about 6 percent. The laboratory determined enhancement factors for the aircraft were compared with those derived from in-flight data gathered by a Learjet 36A outfitted with eight field mills. The values agreed to within experimental error (approx. 15 percent).

  18. Theory of chemical kinetics and charge transfer based on nonequilibrium thermodynamics.

    PubMed

    Bazant, Martin Z

    2013-05-21

    the past 7 years, which is capable of answering these questions. The reaction rate is a nonlinear function of the thermodynamic driving force, the free energy of reaction, expressed in terms of variational chemical potentials. The theory unifies and extends the Cahn-Hilliard and Allen-Cahn equations through a master equation for nonequilibrium chemical thermodynamics. For electrochemistry, I have also generalized both Marcus and Butler-Volmer kinetics for concentrated solutions and ionic solids. This new theory provides a quantitative description of LFP phase behavior. Concentration gradients and elastic coherency strain enhance the intercalation rate. At low currents, the charge-transfer rate is focused on exposed phase boundaries, which propagate as "intercalation waves", nucleated by surface wetting. Unexpectedly, homogeneous reactions are favored above a critical current and below a critical size, which helps to explain the rate capability of LFP nanoparticles. Contrary to other mechanisms, elevated temperatures and currents may enhance battery performance and lifetime by suppressing phase separation. The theory has also been extended to porous electrodes and could be used for battery engineering with multiphase active materials. More broadly, the theory describes nonequilibrium chemical systems at mesoscopic length and time scales, beyond the reach of molecular simulations and bulk continuum models. The reaction rate is consistently defined for inhomogeneous, nonequilibrium states, for example, with phase separation, large electric fields, or mechanical stresses. This research is also potentially applicable to fluid extraction from nanoporous solids, pattern formation in electrophoretic deposition, and electrochemical dynamics in biological cells.

  19. Energy and charge transfer dynamics between Alq3 and CdSeS nanocrystals.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Shuping; Liu, Yuqiang; Yang, Yanqiang

    2010-03-01

    The photoluminescence properties of the blend films consisting of organic small molecules and nanocrystals (NCs)--Alq3 and CdSeS NCs--were studied by steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy with different excited wavelengths. Both the fluorescence intensity and lifetime are intensively dependent on the NC concentration. The detailed analysis of experiment data proves that Forster energy transfer from the Alq3 to the NCs exists simultaneously with the charge transfer and both compete with each other in the blend films.

  20. Nature and potency interactions of the hydrogen bond through the NBO analysis for charge transfer complex between 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6-methylpyrimidine and 2,3-pyrazinedicarboxylic acid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faizan, Mohd; Afroz, Ziya; Alam, Mohammad Jane; Bhat, Sheeraz Ahmad; Ahmad, Shabbir; Ahmad, Afaq

    2018-05-01

    The intermolecular interactions in complex formation between 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6-methylpyrimidine (AHMP) and 2,3-pyrazinedicarboxylicacid (PDCA) have been explored using density functional theory calculations. The isolated 1:1 molecular geometry of proton transfer (PT) complex between AHMP and PDCA has been optimized on a counterpoise corrected potential energy surface (PES) at DFT-B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level of theory in the gaseous phase. Further, the formation of hydrogen bonded charge transfer (HBCT) complex between PDCA and AHMP has been also discussed. PT energy barrier between two extremes is calculated using potential energy surface (PES) scan by varying bond length. The intermolecular interactions have been analyzed from theoretical perspective of natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. In addition, the interaction energy between molecular fragments involved in the complex formation has been also computed by counterpoise procedure at same level of theory.

  1. Dependence of charge transfer phenomena during solid-air two-phase flow on particle disperser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tanoue, Ken-ichiro; Suedomi, Yuuki; Honda, Hirotaka; Furutani, Satoshi; Nishimura, Tatsuo; Masuda, Hiroaki

    2012-12-01

    An experimental investigation of the tribo-electrification of particles has been conducted during solid-air two-phase turbulent flow. The current induced in a metal plate by the impact of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) particles in a high-speed air flow was measured for two different plate materials. The results indicated that the contact potential difference between the particles and a stainless steel plate was positive, while for a nickel plate it was negative. These results agreed with theoretical contact charge transfer even if not only the particle size but also the kind of metal plate was changed. The specific charge of the PMMA particles during solid-air two-phase flow using an ejector, a stainless steel branch pipe, and a stainless steel straight pipe was measured using a Faraday cage. Although the charge was negative in the ejector, the particles had a positive specific charge at the outlet of the branch pipe, and this positive charge increased in the straight pipe. The charge decay along the flow direction could be reproduced by the charging and relaxation theory. However, the proportional coefficients in the theory changed with the particle size and air velocity. Therefore, an unexpected charge transfer occurred between the ejector and the branch pipe, which could not be explained solely by the contact potential difference. In the ejector, an electrical current in air might have been produced by self-discharge of particles with excess charge between the nickel diffuser in the ejector and the stainless steel nozzle or the stainless steel pipe due to a reversal in the contact potential difference between the PMMA and the stainless steel. The sign of the current depended on the particle size, possibly because the position where the particles impacted depended on their size. When dual coaxial glass pipes were used as a particle disperser, the specific charge of the PMMA particles became more positive along the particle flow direction due to the contact

  2. Transition-density-fragment interaction combined with transfer integral approach for excitation-energy transfer via charge-transfer states

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fujimoto, Kazuhiro J.

    2012-07-01

    A transition-density-fragment interaction (TDFI) combined with a transfer integral (TI) method is proposed. The TDFI method was previously developed for describing electronic Coulomb interaction, which was applied to excitation-energy transfer (EET) [K. J. Fujimoto and S. Hayashi, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131, 14152 (2009)] and exciton-coupled circular dichroism spectra [K. J. Fujimoto, J. Chem. Phys. 133, 124101 (2010)]. In the present study, the TDFI method is extended to the exchange interaction, and hence it is combined with the TI method for applying to the EET via charge-transfer (CT) states. In this scheme, the overlap correction is also taken into account. To check the TDFI-TI accuracy, several test calculations are performed to an ethylene dimer. As a result, the TDFI-TI method gives a much improved description of the electronic coupling, compared with the previous TDFI method. Based on the successful description of the electronic coupling, the decomposition analysis is also performed with the TDFI-TI method. The present analysis clearly shows a large contribution from the Coulomb interaction in most of the cases, and a significant influence of the CT states at the small separation. In addition, the exchange interaction is found to be small in this system. The present approach is useful for analyzing and understanding the mechanism of EET.

  3. Primary-Side Power Flow Control of Wireless Power Transfer for Electric Vehicle Charging

    DOE PAGES

    Miller, John M.; Onar, Omer C.; Chinthavali, Madhu

    2014-12-22

    Various noncontacting methods of plug-in electric vehicle charging are either under development or now deployed as aftermarket options in the light-duty automotive market. Wireless power transfer (WPT) is now the accepted term for wireless charging and is used synonymously for inductive power transfer and magnetic resonance coupling. WPT technology is in its infancy; standardization is lacking, especially on interoperability, center frequency selection, magnetic fringe field suppression, and the methods employed for power flow regulation. This paper proposes a new analysis concept for power flow in WPT in which the primary provides frequency selection and the tuned secondary, with its resemblancemore » to a power transmission network having a reactive power voltage control, is analyzed as a transmission network. Analysis is supported with experimental data taken from Oak Ridge National Laboratory s WPT apparatus. Lastly, this paper also provides an experimental evidence for frequency selection, fringe field assessment, and the need for low-latency communications in the feedback path.« less

  4. Isomeric organic semiconductors containing fused-thiophene cores: molecular packing and charge transport.

    PubMed

    Dang, Dongfeng; Zhou, Pei; Wu, Yong; Xu, Yanzi; Zhi, Ying; Zhu, Weiguo

    2018-05-16

    Isomeric TF1 and TF2 with highly fused thiophene cores were designed and synthesized here, in which a highly planar molecular structure was obtained for TF1 with the face-to-face sulfur atoms in the lateral region and a twisted molecular backbone was observed for TF2 with the back-to-back sulfur atoms. It is worth noting that different intermolecular interactions dominated in TF1 and TF2 caused by their isomeric thiophene cores, in which strong π-π stacking was achieved for TF1, whereas sulphur-involved nonbonding intermolecular interactions dominated in TF2, leading to the different fluorescence behaviors and also the altered liquid crystalline phases. Finally, typical P-type charge transport behaviors were achieved in both TF1- and TF2-based solution-processed OFETs. Also owing to the much ordered molecular packing in TF1, a higher charge carrier mobility of 3.7 × 10-3 cm2 V-1 s-1 was achieved for TF1-based OFETs compared to TF2-based OFETs.

  5. Experimental verification of orbital engineering at the atomic scale: Charge transfer and symmetry breaking in nickelate heterostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Phillips, Patrick J.; Rui, Xue; Georgescu, Alexandru B.; Disa, Ankit S.; Longo, Paolo; Okunishi, Eiji; Walker, Fred; Ahn, Charles H.; Ismail-Beigi, Sohrab; Klie, Robert F.

    2017-05-01

    Epitaxial strain, layer confinement, and inversion symmetry breaking have emerged as powerful new approaches to control the electronic and atomic-scale structural properties of complex metal oxides. Trivalent rare-earth (RE) nickelate R E NiO3 heterostructures have been shown to be exemplars since the orbital occupancy, degeneracy, and, consequently, electronic/magnetic properties can be altered as a function of epitaxial strain, layer thickness, and superlattice structure. One recent example is the tricomponent LaTiO3-LaNiO3-LaAlO3 superlattice which exhibits charge transfer and orbital polarization as the result of its interfacial dipole electric field. A crucial step towards control of these parameters for future electronic and magnetic device applications is to develop an understanding of both the magnitude and range of the octahedral network's response towards interfacial strain and electric fields. An approach that provides atomic-scale resolution and sensitivity towards the local octahedral distortions and orbital occupancy is therefore required. Here, we employ atomic-resolution imaging coupled with electron spectroscopies and first-principles theory to examine the role of interfacial charge transfer and symmetry breaking in a tricomponent nickelate superlattice system. We find that nearly complete charge transfer occurs between the LaTiO3 and LaNiO3 layers, resulting in a mixed Ni2 +/Ni3 + valence state. We further demonstrate that this charge transfer is highly localized with a range of about 1 unit cell within the LaNiO3 layers. We also show how Wannier-function-based electron counting provides a simple physical picture of the electron distribution that connects directly with formal valence charges. The results presented here provide important feedback to synthesis efforts aimed at stabilizing new electronic phases that are not accessible by conventional bulk or epitaxial film approaches.

  6. Interfacial disorder drives charge separation in molecular semiconductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Willard, Adam

    One of the fundamental microscopic processes in photocurrent generation is the dissociation of neutral photo-excitations (i.e., Frenkel excitons) into free charge carriers (i.e., electrons and holes). This process requires the physical separation of oppositely charged electrons and holes, which are held to together by an attractive electrostatic binding energy. In traditional inorganic-based photovoltaic (PV) materials, this binding energy is generally small and easily overcome, however, in organic-based PVs (OPVs) the exciton binding energy can significantly exceed thermal energies. The inability of bound charges to overcome this large binding energy has been implicated as a primary source of efficiency loss in OPVs. Here I present results from our recent efforts to explore the role of static molecular disorder in mediating this process. Using a simple lattice model of exciton dynamics we demonstrate that random spatial variations in the energetic landscape can mitigate the attractive Coulomb interaction between electrons and holes. We show that this effect manifests as a reduction in the free energy barrier for exciton dissociation that grows more pronounced with increasing disorder. By considering the competition between this thermodynamic effect and the disorder-induced slowing of dissociation kinetics we demonstrate that exciton dissociation yields are expected to depend non-monotonically on the degree of static disorder.

  7. Size-Induced Segregation in the Stepwise Microhydration of Hydantoin and Its Role in Proton-Induced Charge Transfer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Calvo, Florent; Bacchus-Montabonel, Marie-Christine

    2018-01-01

    Recent photochemistry experiments provided evidence for the formation of hydantoin by irradiation of interstellar ice analogues. The significance of these results and the importance of hydantoin in prebiotic chemistry and polypeptide synthesis motivate the present theoretical investigation, in which we analyzed the effects of stepwise hydration on the electronic and thermodynamical properties of the structure of microhydrated hydantoin using a variety of computational approaches. We generally find microhydration to proceed around the hydantoin heterocycle until 5 water molecules are reached, at which stage hydration becomes segregated with a water cluster forming aside the heterocycle. The reactivity of microhydrated hydantoin caused by an impinging proton was evaluated through charge transfer collision cross sections for microhydrated compounds but also for hydantoin on icy grains modeled using a cluster approach mimicking the true hexagonal ice surface. The effects of hydration on charge transfer efficiency are mostly significant when few water molecules are present, and they progressively weaken and stabilize in larger clusters. On the ice substrate, charge transfer essentially contributes to a global increase in the cross sections.

  8. Charge and energy migration in molecular clusters: A stochastic Schrödinger equation approach.

    PubMed

    Plehn, Thomas; May, Volkhard

    2017-01-21

    The performance of stochastic Schrödinger equations for simulating dynamic phenomena in large scale open quantum systems is studied. Going beyond small system sizes, commonly used master equation approaches become inadequate. In this regime, wave function based methods profit from their inherent scaling benefit and present a promising tool to study, for example, exciton and charge carrier dynamics in huge and complex molecular structures. In the first part of this work, a strict analytic derivation is presented. It starts with the finite temperature reduced density operator expanded in coherent reservoir states and ends up with two linear stochastic Schrödinger equations. Both equations are valid in the weak and intermediate coupling limit and can be properly related to two existing approaches in literature. In the second part, we focus on the numerical solution of these equations. The main issue is the missing norm conservation of the wave function propagation which may lead to numerical discrepancies. To illustrate this, we simulate the exciton dynamics in the Fenna-Matthews-Olson complex in direct comparison with the data from literature. Subsequently a strategy for the proper computational handling of the linear stochastic Schrödinger equation is exposed particularly with regard to large systems. Here, we study charge carrier transfer kinetics in realistic hybrid organic/inorganic para-sexiphenyl/ZnO systems of different extension.

  9. Charge and energy migration in molecular clusters: A stochastic Schrödinger equation approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Plehn, Thomas; May, Volkhard

    2017-01-01

    The performance of stochastic Schrödinger equations for simulating dynamic phenomena in large scale open quantum systems is studied. Going beyond small system sizes, commonly used master equation approaches become inadequate. In this regime, wave function based methods profit from their inherent scaling benefit and present a promising tool to study, for example, exciton and charge carrier dynamics in huge and complex molecular structures. In the first part of this work, a strict analytic derivation is presented. It starts with the finite temperature reduced density operator expanded in coherent reservoir states and ends up with two linear stochastic Schrödinger equations. Both equations are valid in the weak and intermediate coupling limit and can be properly related to two existing approaches in literature. In the second part, we focus on the numerical solution of these equations. The main issue is the missing norm conservation of the wave function propagation which may lead to numerical discrepancies. To illustrate this, we simulate the exciton dynamics in the Fenna-Matthews-Olson complex in direct comparison with the data from literature. Subsequently a strategy for the proper computational handling of the linear stochastic Schrödinger equation is exposed particularly with regard to large systems. Here, we study charge carrier transfer kinetics in realistic hybrid organic/inorganic para-sexiphenyl/ZnO systems of different extension.

  10. Tunable two-dimensional interfacial coupling in molecular heterostructures

    DOE PAGES

    Xu, Beibei; Chakraborty, Himanshu; Yadav, Vivek K.; ...

    2017-08-22

    Two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures are of considerable interest for the next generation nanoelectronics because of their unique interlayer coupling and optoelectronic properties. Here, we report a modified Langmuir–Blodgett method to organize twodimensional molecular charge transfer crystals into arbitrarily and vertically stacked heterostructures, consisting of bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene (BEDT–TTF)/C 60 and poly (3-dodecylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3DDT)/C 60 nanosheets. A strong and anisotropic interfacial coupling between the charge transfer pairs is demonstrated. The van der Waals heterostructures exhibit pressure dependent sensitivity with a high piezoresistance coefficient of -4.4 × 10 -6 Pa -1, and conductance and capacitance tunable by external stimuli (ferroelectric field and magneticmore » field). Density functional theory calculations confirm charge transfer between the n-orbitals of the S atoms in BEDT–TTF of the BEDT–TTF/C 60 layer and the π* orbitals of C atoms in C 60 of the P3DDT/C 60 layer contribute to the inter-complex CT. Thus, the two-dimensional molecular van der Waals heterostructures with tunable optical–electronic–magnetic coupling properties are promising for flexible electronic applications.« less

  11. Interfacial Molecular Packing Determines Exciton Dynamics in Molecular Heterostructures: The Case of Pentacene-Perfluoropentacene.

    PubMed

    Rinn, Andre; Breuer, Tobias; Wiegand, Julia; Beck, Michael; Hübner, Jens; Döring, Robin C; Oestreich, Michael; Heimbrodt, Wolfram; Witte, Gregor; Chatterjee, Sangam

    2017-12-06

    The great majority of electronic and optoelectronic devices depend on interfaces between p-type and n-type semiconductors. Finding matching donor-acceptor systems in molecular semiconductors remains a challenging endeavor because structurally compatible molecules may not necessarily be suitable with respect to their optical and electronic properties, and the large exciton binding energy in these materials may favor bound electron-hole pairs rather than free carriers or charge transfer at an interface. Regardless, interfacial charge-transfer exciton states are commonly considered as an intermediate step to achieve exciton dissociation. The formation efficiency and decay dynamics of such states will strongly depend on the molecular makeup of the interface, especially the relative alignment of donor and acceptor molecules. Structurally well-defined pentacene-perfluoropentacene heterostructures of different molecular orientations are virtually ideal model systems to study the interrelation between molecular packing motifs at the interface and their electronic properties. Comparing the emission dynamics of the heterosystems and the corresponding unitary films enables accurate assignment of every observable emission signal in the heterosystems. These heterosystems feature two characteristic interface-specific luminescence channels at around 1.4 and 1.5 eV that are not observed in the unitary samples. Their emission strength strongly depends on the molecular alignment of the respective donor and acceptor molecules, emphasizing the importance of structural control for device construction.

  12. Intermolecular electron transfer from intramolecular excitation and coherent acoustic phonon generation in a hydrogen-bonded charge-transfer solid

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rury, Aaron S., E-mail: arury@usc.edu; Sorenson, Shayne; Dawlaty, Jahan M.

    2016-03-14

    Organic materials that produce coherent lattice phonon excitations in response to external stimuli may provide next generation solutions in a wide range of applications. However, for these materials to lead to functional devices in technology, a full understanding of the possible driving forces of coherent lattice phonon generation must be attained. To facilitate the achievement of this goal, we have undertaken an optical spectroscopic study of an organic charge-transfer material formed from the ubiquitous reduction-oxidation pair hydroquinone and p-benzoquinone. Upon pumping this material, known as quinhydrone, on its intermolecular charge transfer resonance as well as an intramolecular resonance of p-benzoquinone,more » we find sub-cm{sup −1} oscillations whose dispersion with probe energy resembles that of a coherent acoustic phonon that we argue is coherently excited following changes in the electron density of quinhydrone. Using the dynamical information from these ultrafast pump-probe measurements, we find that the fastest process we can resolve does not change whether we pump quinhydrone at either energy. Electron-phonon coupling from both ultrafast coherent vibrational and steady-state resonance Raman spectroscopies allows us to determine that intramolecular electronic excitation of p-benzoquinone also drives the electron transfer process in quinhydrone. These results demonstrate the wide range of electronic excitations of the parent of molecules found in many functional organic materials that can drive coherent lattice phonon excitations useful for applications in electronics, photonics, and information technology.« less

  13. Intermolecular electron transfer from intramolecular excitation and coherent acoustic phonon generation in a hydrogen-bonded charge-transfer solid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rury, Aaron S.; Sorenson, Shayne; Dawlaty, Jahan M.

    2016-03-01

    Organic materials that produce coherent lattice phonon excitations in response to external stimuli may provide next generation solutions in a wide range of applications. However, for these materials to lead to functional devices in technology, a full understanding of the possible driving forces of coherent lattice phonon generation must be attained. To facilitate the achievement of this goal, we have undertaken an optical spectroscopic study of an organic charge-transfer material formed from the ubiquitous reduction-oxidation pair hydroquinone and p-benzoquinone. Upon pumping this material, known as quinhydrone, on its intermolecular charge transfer resonance as well as an intramolecular resonance of p-benzoquinone, we find sub-cm-1 oscillations whose dispersion with probe energy resembles that of a coherent acoustic phonon that we argue is coherently excited following changes in the electron density of quinhydrone. Using the dynamical information from these ultrafast pump-probe measurements, we find that the fastest process we can resolve does not change whether we pump quinhydrone at either energy. Electron-phonon coupling from both ultrafast coherent vibrational and steady-state resonance Raman spectroscopies allows us to determine that intramolecular electronic excitation of p-benzoquinone also drives the electron transfer process in quinhydrone. These results demonstrate the wide range of electronic excitations of the parent of molecules found in many functional organic materials that can drive coherent lattice phonon excitations useful for applications in electronics, photonics, and information technology.

  14. 2013 MOLECULAR ENERGY TRANSFER GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCE (JANUARY 13-18, 2013 - VENTURA BEACH MARRIOTT, VENTURA CA

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Reid, Scott A.

    2012-10-18

    Sessions covered all areas of molecular energy transfer, with 10 sessions of talks and poster sessions covering the areas of :  Energy Transfer in Inelastic and Reactive Scattering  Energy Transfer in Photoinitiated and Unimolecular Reactions  Non-adiabatic Effects in Energy Transfer  Energy Transfer at Surfaces and Interfaces  Energy Transfer in Clusters, Droplets, and Aerosols  Energy Transfer in Solution and Solid  Energy Transfer in Complex Systems  Energy Transfer: New vistas and horizons  Molecular Energy Transfer: Where Have We Been and Where are We Going?

  15. Dendronized fullerene-porphyrin conjugates in ortho, meta, and para positions: a charge-transfer assay.

    PubMed

    Krokos, Evangelos; Schubert, Christina; Spänig, Fabian; Ruppert, Michaela; Hirsch, Andreas; Guldi, Dirk M

    2012-06-01

    The physicochemical characterization, that is, ground and excited state, of a new series of dendronized porphyrin/fullerene electron donor-acceptor conjugates in nonaqueous and aqueous environments is reported. In contrast to previous work, we detail the charge-separation and charge-recombination dynamics in zinc and copper metalloporphyrins as a function of first- and second-generation dendrons as well as a function of ortho, meta, and para substitution. Both have an appreciable impact on the microenvironments of the redox-active constituents, namely the porphyrins and the fullerenes. As a matter of fact, the resulting charge-transfer dynamics were considerably impacted by the interplay between the associated forces that reach from dendron-induced shielding to dipole-charge interactions. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. The Dual Role of Disorder on the Dissociation of Interfacial Charge Transfer Excitons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shi, Liang; Lee, Chee-Kong; Willard, Adam

    In organic-based photovoltaics (OPV), dissociation of neutral photo-excitations (i.e., Frenkel excitons) into free charge carriers requires the excitons to overcome binding energy that can significantly exceed thermal energies. The inability of bound charges to overcome this large binding energy has been implicated as a primary source of efficiency loss in OPVs. Despite the potential impact on the performance of organic solar cells much remains to be understood about the microscopic mechanism of exciton dissociation in OPV materials. Here we explore the role of static molecular disorder in mediating this charge dissociation process. Using a simple lattice model of exciton dynamics we demonstrate that random spatial variations in the energetic landscape can mitigate the effects of the exciton binding energy by lowering the free energy barrier. By considering the competition between this thermodynamic effect and the disorder-induced slowing of dissociation kinetics we demonstrate that exciton dissociation yields are expected to depend non-monotonically on the degree of static disorder. We conclude that a certain amount of molecular-scale disorder is desirable in order to optimize the performance of organic photovoltaic materials.

  17. Electron-lattice interactions strongly renormalize the charge-transfer energy in the spin-chain cuprate Li 2CuO 2

    DOE PAGES

    Johnston, Steve; Monney, Claude; Bisogni, Valentina; ...

    2016-02-17

    Strongly correlated insulators are broadly divided into two classes: Mott–Hubbard insulators, where the insulating gap is driven by the Coulomb repulsion U on the transition-metal cation, and charge-transfer insulators, where the gap is driven by the charge-transfer energy Δ between the cation and the ligand anions. The relative magnitudes of U and Δ determine which class a material belongs to, and subsequently the nature of its low-energy excitations. These energy scales are typically understood through the local chemistry of the active ions. Here we show that the situation is more complex in the low-dimensional charge-transfer insulator Li 2CuO 2, wheremore » Δ has a large non-electronic component. Combining resonant inelastic X-ray scattering with detailed modelling, we determine how the elementary lattice, charge, spin and orbital excitations are entangled in this material. This results in a large lattice-driven renormalization of Δ, which significantly reshapes the fundamental electronic properties of Li 2CuO 2.« less

  18. Electron-flux infrared response to varying π-bond topology in charged aromatic monomers

    PubMed Central

    Álvaro Galué, Héctor; Oomens, Jos; Buma, Wybren Jan; Redlich, Britta

    2016-01-01

    The interaction of delocalized π-electrons with molecular vibrations is key to charge transport processes in π-conjugated organic materials based on aromatic monomers. Yet the role that specific aromatic motifs play on charge transfer is poorly understood. Here we show that the molecular edge topology in charged catacondensed aromatic hydrocarbons influences the Herzberg-Teller coupling of π-electrons with molecular vibrations. To this end, we probe the radical cations of picene and pentacene with benchmark armchair- and zigzag-edges using infrared multiple-photon dissociation action spectroscopy and interpret the recorded spectra via quantum-chemical calculations. We demonstrate that infrared bands preserve information on the dipolar π-electron-flux mode enhancement, which is governed by the dynamical evolution of vibronically mixed and correlated one-electron configuration states. Our results reveal that in picene a stronger charge π-flux is generated than in pentacene, which could justify the differences of electronic properties of armchair- versus zigzag-type families of technologically relevant organic molecules. PMID:27577323

  19. Jahn-Teller effects in transition-metal compounds with small charge-transfer energy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mizokawa, Takashi

    2013-04-01

    We have studied Jahn-Teller effects in Cs2Au2Br6, ACu3Co4O12(A=Ca or Y), and IrTe2 in which the ligand p-to-transition-metal d charge-transfer energy is small or negative. The Au+/Au3+ charge disproportionation of Cs2Au2Br6 manifests in Au 4f photoemission spectra. In Cs2Au2Br6 with negative Δ and intermediate U, the charge disproportionation can be described using effective d orbitals constructed from the Au 5d and Br 4p orbitals and is stabilized by the Jahn-Teller distortion of the Au3+ site with low-spin d8 configuration. In ACu3Co4O12, Δs for Cu3+ and Co4+ are negative and Us are very large. The Zhang-Rice picture is valid to describe the electronic state, and the valence change from Cu2+/Co4+ to Cu3+/Co3+ can be viewed as the O 2p hole transfer from Co to Cu or d9 + d6L → d9L + d6. In IrTe2, both Δ and U are small and the Ir 5d and Te 5p electrons are itinerant to form the multi-band Fermi surfaces. The ideas of band Jahn-Teller transition and Peierls transition are useful to describe the structural instabilities.

  20. Atomic and electronic structure of trilayer graphene/SiC(0001): Evidence of Strong Dependence on Stacking Sequence and charge transfer.

    PubMed

    Pierucci, Debora; Brumme, Thomas; Girard, Jean-Christophe; Calandra, Matteo; Silly, Mathieu G; Sirotti, Fausto; Barbier, Antoine; Mauri, Francesco; Ouerghi, Abdelkarim

    2016-09-15

    The transport properties of few-layer graphene are the directly result of a peculiar band structure near the Dirac point. Here, for epitaxial graphene grown on SiC, we determine the effect of charge transfer from the SiC substrate on the local density of states (LDOS) of trilayer graphene using scaning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). Different spectra are observed and are attributed to the existence of two stable polytypes of trilayer: Bernal (ABA) and rhomboedreal (ABC) staking. Their electronic properties strongly depend on the charge transfer from the substrate. We show that the LDOS of ABC stacking shows an additional peak located above the Dirac point in comparison with the LDOS of ABA stacking. The observed LDOS features, reflecting the underlying symmetry of the two polytypes, were reproduced by explicit calculations within density functional theory (DFT) including the charge transfer from the substrate. These findings demonstrate the pronounced effect of stacking order and charge transfer on the electronic structure of trilayer or few layer graphene. Our approach represents a significant step toward understand the electronic properties of graphene layer under electrical field.

  1. Role of coherence and delocalization in photo-induced electron transfer at organic interfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abramavicius, V.; Pranculis, V.; Melianas, A.; Inganäs, O.; Gulbinas, V.; Abramavicius, D.

    2016-09-01

    Photo-induced charge transfer at molecular heterojunctions has gained particular interest due to the development of organic solar cells (OSC) based on blends of electron donating and accepting materials. While charge transfer between donor and acceptor molecules can be described by Marcus theory, additional carrier delocalization and coherent propagation might play the dominant role. Here, we describe ultrafast charge separation at the interface of a conjugated polymer and an aggregate of the fullerene derivative PCBM using the stochastic Schrödinger equation (SSE) and reveal the complex time evolution of electron transfer, mediated by electronic coherence and delocalization. By fitting the model to ultrafast charge separation experiments, we estimate the extent of electron delocalization and establish the transition from coherent electron propagation to incoherent hopping. Our results indicate that even a relatively weak coupling between PCBM molecules is sufficient to facilitate electron delocalization and efficient charge separation at organic interfaces.

  2. Nonmetallic electronegativity equalization and point-dipole interaction model including exchange interactions for molecular dipole moments and polarizabilities.

    PubMed

    Smalø, Hans S; Astrand, Per-Olof; Jensen, Lasse

    2009-07-28

    The electronegativity equalization model (EEM) has been combined with a point-dipole interaction model to obtain a molecular mechanics model consisting of atomic charges, atomic dipole moments, and two-atom relay tensors to describe molecular dipole moments and molecular dipole-dipole polarizabilities. The EEM has been phrased as an atom-atom charge-transfer model allowing for a modification of the charge-transfer terms to avoid that the polarizability approaches infinity for two particles at infinite distance and for long chains. In the present work, these shortcomings have been resolved by adding an energy term for transporting charges through individual atoms. A Gaussian distribution is adopted for the atomic charge distributions, resulting in a damping of the electrostatic interactions at short distances. Assuming that an interatomic exchange term may be described as the overlap between two electronic charge distributions, the EEM has also been extended by a short-range exchange term. The result is a molecular mechanics model where the difference of charge transfer in insulating and metallic systems is modeled regarding the difference in bond length between different types of system. For example, the model is capable of modeling charge transfer in both alkanes and alkenes with alternating double bonds with the same set of carbon parameters only relying on the difference in bond length between carbon sigma- and pi-bonds. Analytical results have been obtained for the polarizability of a long linear chain. These results show that the model is capable of describing the polarizability scaling both linearly and nonlinearly with the size of the system. Similarly, a linear chain with an end atom with a high electronegativity has been analyzed analytically. The dipole moment of this model system can either be independent of the length or increase linearly with the length of the chain. In addition, the model has been parametrized for alkane and alkene chains with data

  3. Coulomb fission in multiply charged molecular clusters: Experiment and theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harris, Christopher; Baptiste, Joshua; Lindgren, Eric B.; Besley, Elena; Stace, Anthony J.

    2017-04-01

    A series of three multiply charged molecular clusters, (C6H6)nz+ (benzene), (CH3CNnz) + (acetonitrile), and (C4H8O)nz+ (tetrahydrofuran), where the charge z is either 3 or 4, have been studied for the purpose of identifying the patterns of behaviour close to the charge instability limit. Experiments show that on a time scale of ˜10-4 s, ions close to the limit undergo Coulomb fission where the observed pathways exhibit considerable asymmetry in the sizes of the charged fragments and are all associated with kinetic (ejection) energies of between 1.4 and 2.2 eV. Accurate kinetic energies have been determined through a computer simulation of peak profiles recorded in the experiments and the results modelled using a theory formulated to describe how charged particles of dielectric materials interact with one another [E. Bichoutskaia et al., J. Chem. Phys. 133, 024105 (2010)]. The calculated electrostatic interaction energy between separating fragments gives an accurate account for the measured kinetic energies and also supports the conclusion that +4 ions fragment into +3 and +1 products as opposed to the alternative of two +2 fragments. This close match between the theory and experiment reinforces the assumption that a significant fraction of excess charge resides on the surfaces of the fragment ions. It is proposed that the high degree of asymmetry seen in the fragmentation patterns of the multiply charged clusters is due, in part, to limits imposed by the time window during which observations are made.

  4. Coherent spin transfer between molecularly bridged quantum dots.

    PubMed

    Ouyang, Min; Awschalom, David D

    2003-08-22

    Femtosecond time-resolved Faraday rotation spectroscopy reveals the instantaneous transfer of spin coherence through conjugated molecular bridges spanning quantum dots of different size over a broad range of temperature. The room-temperature spin-transfer efficiency is approximately 20%, showing that conjugated molecules can be used not only as interconnections for the hierarchical assembly of functional networks but also as efficient spin channels. The results suggest that this class of structures may be useful as two-spin quantum devices operating at ambient temperatures and may offer promising opportunities for future versatile molecule-based spintronic technologies.

  5. Atomistic and molecular effects in electric double layers at high surface charges

    DOE PAGES

    Templeton, Jeremy Alan; Lee, Jonathan; Mani, Ali

    2015-06-16

    Here, the Poisson–Boltzmann theory for electrolytes near a charged surface is known to be invalid due to unaccounted physics associated with high ion concentration regimes. In order to investigate this regime, fluids density functional theory (f-DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to determine electric surface potential as a function of surface charge. Based on these detailed computations, for electrolytes with nonpolar solvent, the surface potential is shown to depend quadratically on the surface charge in the high charge limit. We demonstrate that modified Poisson–Boltzmann theories can model this limit if they are augmented with atomic packing densities providedmore » by MD. However, when the solvent is a highly polar molecule water an intermediate regime is identified in which a constant capacitance is realized. Simulation results demonstrate the mechanism underlying this regime, and for the salt water system studied here, it persists throughout the range of physically realistic surface charge densities so the potential’s quadratic surface charge dependence is not obtained.« less

  6. Imidazole as a parent π-conjugated backbone in charge-transfer chromophores

    PubMed Central

    Kulhánek, Jiří

    2012-01-01

    Summary Research activities in the field of imidazole-derived push–pull systems featuring intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) are reviewed. Design, synthetic pathways, linear and nonlinear optical properties, electrochemistry, structure–property relationships, and the prospective application of such D-π-A organic materials are described. This review focuses on Y-shaped imidazoles, bi- and diimidazoles, benzimidazoles, bis(benzimidazoles), imidazole-4,5-dicarbonitriles, and imidazole-derived chromophores chemically bound to a polymer chain. PMID:22423270

  7. Quantum modeling of ultrafast photoinduced charge separation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rozzi, Carlo Andrea; Troiani, Filippo; Tavernelli, Ivano

    2018-01-01

    Phenomena involving electron transfer are ubiquitous in nature, photosynthesis and enzymes or protein activity being prominent examples. Their deep understanding thus represents a mandatory scientific goal. Moreover, controlling the separation of photogenerated charges is a crucial prerequisite in many applicative contexts, including quantum electronics, photo-electrochemical water splitting, photocatalytic dye degradation, and energy conversion. In particular, photoinduced charge separation is the pivotal step driving the storage of sun light into electrical or chemical energy. If properly mastered, these processes may also allow us to achieve a better command of information storage at the nanoscale, as required for the development of molecular electronics, optical switching, or quantum technologies, amongst others. In this Topical Review we survey recent progress in the understanding of ultrafast charge separation from photoexcited states. We report the state-of-the-art of the observation and theoretical description of charge separation phenomena in the ultrafast regime mainly focusing on molecular- and nano-sized solar energy conversion systems. In particular, we examine different proposed mechanisms driving ultrafast charge dynamics, with particular regard to the role of quantum coherence and electron-nuclear coupling, and link experimental observations to theoretical approaches based either on model Hamiltonians or on first principles simulations.

  8. Ab Initio Analysis of Auger-Assisted Electron Transfer.

    PubMed

    Hyeon-Deuk, Kim; Kim, Joonghan; Prezhdo, Oleg V

    2015-01-15

    Quantum confinement in nanoscale materials allows Auger-type electron-hole energy exchange. We show by direct time-domain atomistic simulation and analytic theory that Auger processes give rise to a new mechanism of charge transfer (CT) on the nanoscale. Auger-assisted CT eliminates the renown Marcus inverted regime, rationalizing recent experiments on CT from quantum dots to molecular adsorbates. The ab initio simulation reveals a complex interplay of the electron-hole and charge-phonon channels of energy exchange, demonstrating a variety of CT scenarios. The developed Marcus rate theory for Auger-assisted CT describes, without adjustable parameters, the experimental plateau of the CT rate in the region of large donor-acceptor energy gap. The analytic theory and atomistic insights apply broadly to charge and energy transfer in nanoscale systems.

  9. Chemical and physical investigations on the charge transfer interaction of organic donors with iodine and its application as non-traditional organic conductors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Refat, Moamen S.; Sharshar, T.; Adam, Abdel Majid A.; Elsabawy, Khaled M.; Hemeda, O. M.

    2014-09-01

    The iso-leucine-iodide and methionine-iodide charge-transfer complexes were prepared and characterized using different spectroscopic techniques. The iodide charge-transfer complexes were synthesized by grinding KI-I2-amino acid with 1:1:1 M ratio in presence of few drops of methanol solvent. The structures of both solid amino acid iodide charge-transfer complexes are discussed with the help of the obtained results of the infrared and Raman laser spectra, Uv-vis. electronic spectra and thermal analyses. The electrical properties (AC resistivity and dielectric constant) of both complexes were investigated. The positron annihilation Doppler broadening (PADB) spectroscopies were also used to probe the structural changes of both complexes. The PADB line-shape parameters (S and W) were found to be dependent on the structure, electronic configuration of the charge transfer complex. The PADB technique is a powerful tool to probe the structural features of the KI-I2-amino acid complexes.

  10. Enhancement of IR and VCD intensities due to charge transfer.

    PubMed

    Nicu, Valentin Paul; Autschbach, Jochen; Baerends, Evert Jan

    2009-03-14

    Donor-acceptor interactions such as the one between the Cl(-) base and the N-H sigma* acceptor orbitals encountered in the complexation of Cl(-) counterions to the [Co(en)(3)](3+) transition metal complex, have been shown to cause huge enhancement (between 1 and 2 orders of magnitude) of the VCD intensities of N-H stretching modes. This effect has been fully analyzed, and could be attributed to increased charge flow from the Cl(-) donors when the N-H bonds become stretched. The transfer of charge counteracts the movement of negative electronic charge that happens along with the motion of the H nuclei, effectively reversing the electronic part of the electric dipole transition moment (EDTM) in the direction of the charge flow (z, say), and of the magnetic transition dipole moment (MDTM) in the perpendicular direction. The consequences for the IR and VCD intensity follow: IR intensity is strongly increased if the EDTM is polarized in the z direction, e.g. in A(2) modes, but not so much if it is polarized in the xy plane (E modes), the VCD is strongly enhanced if the EDTM and MTDM are polarized in the xy plane (in E modes), but less so when they are polarized in the z direction (in A(2) modes). The explanation holds generally for complexation phenomena of this sort, including the donor-acceptor part of hydrogen bonding interactions, e.g. with solvent molecules.

  11. Gating Charge Calculations by Computational Electrophysiology Simulations.

    PubMed

    Machtens, Jan-Philipp; Briones, Rodolfo; Alleva, Claudia; de Groot, Bert L; Fahlke, Christoph

    2017-04-11

    Electrical cell signaling requires adjustment of ion channel, receptor, or transporter function in response to changes in membrane potential. For the majority of such membrane proteins, the molecular details of voltage sensing remain insufficiently understood. Here, we present a molecular dynamics simulation-based method to determine the underlying charge movement across the membrane-the gating charge-by measuring electrical capacitor properties of membrane-embedded proteins. We illustrate the approach by calculating the charge transfer upon membrane insertion of the HIV gp41 fusion peptide, and validate the method on two prototypical voltage-dependent proteins, the Kv1.2 K + channel and the voltage sensor of the Ciona intestinalis voltage-sensitive phosphatase, against experimental data. We then use the gating charge analysis to study how the T1 domain modifies voltage sensing in Kv1.2 channels and to investigate the voltage dependence of the initial binding of two Na + ions in Na + -coupled glutamate transporters. Our simulation approach quantifies various mechanisms of voltage sensing, enables direct comparison with experiments, and supports mechanistic interpretation of voltage sensitivity by fractional amino acid contributions. Copyright © 2017 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Charge separation and charge delocalization identified in long-living states of photoexcited DNA

    PubMed Central

    Bucher, Dominik B.; Pilles, Bert M.; Carell, Thomas; Zinth, Wolfgang

    2014-01-01

    Base stacking in DNA is related to long-living excited states whose molecular nature is still under debate. To elucidate the molecular background we study well-defined oligonucleotides with natural bases, which allow selective UV excitation of one single base in the strand. IR probing in the picosecond regime enables us to dissect the contribution of different single bases to the excited state. All investigated oligonucleotides show long-living states on the 100-ps time scale, which are not observable in a mixture of single bases. The fraction of these states is well correlated with the stacking probabilities and reaches values up to 0.4. The long-living states show characteristic absorbance bands that can be assigned to charge-transfer states by comparing them to marker bands of radical cation and anion spectra. The charge separation is directed by the redox potential of the involved bases and thus controlled by the sequence. The spatial dimension of this charge separation was investigated in longer oligonucleotides, where bridging sequences separate the excited base from a sensor base with a characteristic marker band. After excitation we observe a bleach of all involved bases. The contribution of the sensor base is observable even if the bridge is composed of several bases. This result can be explained by a charge delocalization along a well-stacked domain in the strand. The presence of charged radicals in DNA strands after light absorption may cause reactions—oxidative or reductive damage—currently not considered in DNA photochemistry. PMID:24616517

  13. Direct evidence of charge separation in a metal-organic framework: efficient and selective photocatalytic oxidative coupling of amines via charge and energy transfer.

    PubMed

    Xu, Caiyun; Liu, Hang; Li, Dandan; Su, Ji-Hu; Jiang, Hai-Long

    2018-03-28

    The selective aerobic oxidative coupling of amines under mild conditions is an important laboratory and commercial procedure yet a great challenge. In this work, a porphyrinic metal-organic framework, PCN-222, was employed to catalyze the reaction. Upon visible light irradiation, the semiconductor-like behavior of PCN-222 initiates charge separation, evidently generating oxygen-centered active sites in Zr-oxo clusters indicated by enhanced porphyrin π-cation radical signals. The photogenerated electrons and holes further activate oxygen and amines, respectively, to give the corresponding redox products, both of which have been detected for the first time. The porphyrin motifs generate singlet oxygen based on energy transfer to further promote the reaction. As a result, PCN-222 exhibits excellent photocatalytic activity, selectivity and recyclability, far superior to its organic counterpart, for the reaction under ambient conditions via combined energy and charge transfer.

  14. Correlation between human maternal-fetal placental transfer and molecular weight of PCB and dioxin congeners/isomers.

    PubMed

    Mori, Chisato; Nakamura, Noriko; Todaka, Emiko; Fujisaki, Takeyoshi; Matsuno, Yoshiharu; Nakaoka, Hiroko; Hanazato, Masamichi

    2014-11-01

    Establishing methods for the assessment of fetal exposure to chemicals is important for the prevention or prediction of the child's future disease risk. In the present study, we aimed to determine the influence of molecular weight on the likelihood of chemical transfer from mother to fetus via the placenta. The correlation between molecular weight and placental transfer rates of congeners/isomers of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins was examined. Twenty-nine sample sets of maternal blood, umbilical cord, and umbilical cord blood were used to measure PCB concentration, and 41 sample sets were used to analyze dioxins. Placental transfer rates were calculated using the concentrations of PCBs, dioxins, and their congeners/isomers within these sample sets. Transfer rate correlated negatively with molecular weight for PCB congeners, normalized using wet and lipid weights. The transfer rates of PCB or dioxin congeners differed from those of total PCBs or dioxins. The transfer rate for dioxin congeners did not always correlate significantly with molecular weight, perhaps because of the small sample size or other factors. Further improvement of the analytical methods for dioxin congeners is required. The findings of the present study suggested that PCBs, dioxins, or their congeners with lower molecular weights are more likely to be transferred from mother to fetus via the placenta. Consideration of chemical molecular weight and transfer rate could therefore contribute to the assessment of fetal exposure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. A comparison of various surface charge transfer hole doping of graphene grown by chemical vapour deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chandramohan, S.; Seo, Tae Hoon; Janardhanam, V.; Hong, Chang-Hee; Suh, Eun-Kyung

    2017-10-01

    Charge transfer doping is a renowned route to modify the electrical and electronic properties of graphene. Understanding the stability of potentially important charge-transfer materials for graphene doping is a crucial first step. Here we present a systematic comparison on the doping efficiency and stability of single layer graphene using molybdenum trioxide (MoO3), gold chloride (AuCl3), and bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide (TFSA). Chemical dopants proved to be very effective, but MoO3 offers better thermal stability and device fabrication compatibility. Single layer graphene films with sheet resistance values between 100 and 200 ohm/square were consistently produced by implementing a two-step growth followed by doping without compromising the optical transmittance.

  16. Charge transfer and ionization in collisions of Si3+ with H from low to high energy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, J. G.; He, B.; Ning, Y.; Liu, C. L.; Yan, J.; Stancil, P. C.; Schultz, D. R.

    2006-11-01

    Charge transfer processes due to collisions of ground state Si3+(3sS1) ions with atomic hydrogen are investigated using the quantum-mechanical molecular-orbital close-coupling (MOCC) and classical-trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) methods. The MOCC calculations utilize ab initio adiabatic potentials and nonadiabatic radial coupling matrix elements obtained from Herrero [J. Phys. B 29, 5583 (1996)] which were calculated with a full configuration-interaction method. Total and state-selective single-electron capture cross sections are obtained for collision energies from 0.01eV/u to 1MeV/u . Total and state-selective rate coefficients are also presented for temperatures from 2×103K to 107K . Comparison with existing data reveals that the total CTMC cross sections are in good agreement with the experimental measurements at the higher considered energies and that previous Landau-Zener calculations underestimate the total rate coefficients by a factor of up to two. The CTMC calculations of target ionization are presented for high energies.

  17. Manipulating the dipole layer of polar organic molecules on metal surfaces via different charge-transfer channels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Meng-Kai; Nakayama, Yasuo; Zhuang, Ying-Jie; Wang, Chin-Yung; Pi, Tun-Wen; Ishii, Hisao; Tang, S.-J.

    The key properties of organic films such as energy level alignment (ELA), work functions, and injection barriers are closely linked to this dipole layer. Using angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we systemically investigate the coverage-dependent work functions and spectra line shapes of occupied molecular orbital states of a polar molecule, chloroaluminium phthalocyanine (ClAlPc), grown on Ag(111) to show that the orientations of the first ClAlPc layer can be manipulated via the molecule deposition rate and post annealing, causing ELA at organic-metal interface to differ for about 0.3 eV between Cl-up and Cl-down configuration. Moreover, by comparing the experimental results with the calculations based on both gas-phase model and realistic model of ClAlPc on Ag(111) , we evidence that the different orientations of ClAlPc dipole layers lead to different charge-transfer channels between ClAlPc and Ag, a key factor that controls the ELA at organic-metal interface.

  18. Atomic charge transfer-counter polarization effects determine infrared CH intensities of hydrocarbons: a quantum theory of atoms in molecules model.

    PubMed

    Silva, Arnaldo F; Richter, Wagner E; Meneses, Helen G C; Bruns, Roy E

    2014-11-14

    Atomic charge transfer-counter polarization effects determine most of the infrared fundamental CH intensities of simple hydrocarbons, methane, ethylene, ethane, propyne, cyclopropane and allene. The quantum theory of atoms in molecules/charge-charge flux-dipole flux model predicted the values of 30 CH intensities ranging from 0 to 123 km mol(-1) with a root mean square (rms) error of only 4.2 km mol(-1) without including a specific equilibrium atomic charge term. Sums of the contributions from terms involving charge flux and/or dipole flux averaged 20.3 km mol(-1), about ten times larger than the average charge contribution of 2.0 km mol(-1). The only notable exceptions are the CH stretching and bending intensities of acetylene and two of the propyne vibrations for hydrogens bound to sp hybridized carbon atoms. Calculations were carried out at four quantum levels, MP2/6-311++G(3d,3p), MP2/cc-pVTZ, QCISD/6-311++G(3d,3p) and QCISD/cc-pVTZ. The results calculated at the QCISD level are the most accurate among the four with root mean square errors of 4.7 and 5.0 km mol(-1) for the 6-311++G(3d,3p) and cc-pVTZ basis sets. These values are close to the estimated aggregate experimental error of the hydrocarbon intensities, 4.0 km mol(-1). The atomic charge transfer-counter polarization effect is much larger than the charge effect for the results of all four quantum levels. Charge transfer-counter polarization effects are expected to also be important in vibrations of more polar molecules for which equilibrium charge contributions can be large.

  19. Electron Transport Modeling of Molecular Nanoscale Bridges Used in Energy Conversion Schemes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dunietz, Barry D

    2016-08-09

    The goal of the research program is to reliably describe electron transport and transfer processes at the molecular level. Such insight is essential for improving molecular applications of solar and thermal energy conversion. We develop electronic structure models to study (1) photoinduced electron transfer and transport processes in organic semiconducting materials, and (2) charge and heat transport through molecular bridges. We seek fundamental understanding of key processes, which lead to design new experiments and ultimately to achieve systems with improved properties.

  20. Coulomb blockade and charge ordering in a few layers of TTF-TCNQ investigated by low-temperature STM/STS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jeon, Seokmin; Maksymovych, Petro

    In contrast to the vast effort on bulk crystal phases of the prototypical organic charge-transfer complex, TTF-TCNQ, study of low-dimensional phases has been limited to monolayer phases on substrates. In this state, however, none of the physics of the bulk phase is observed owing to the overwhelming effect of the substrate. We investigate the molecular structure and electronic properties of a few layers of TTF-TCNQ grown on Au(111) and Ag(111) using STM/STS at 4.3 K. By decoupling the molecular electronic state from the metal surface, we have made the first observation of the effect of confinement on the electronic properties of TTF-TCNQ. STS reveals a plethora of sharp features due to molecular orbitals, each influenced by charge-transfer between the molecules. We hypothesize the existence of a Mott-insulator state in 3-layer islands, with a Coulomb gap of ~1 eV. In contrast, the corresponding bulk phase is a Peierls insulator with a gap of ~20 meV. The root cause of the nanoscale phase is traced to simultaneous electron confinement and structural frustration, which dramatically modify the energy balance of self-ionization allowing for integer charge transfer. These studies open broad opportunities to explore correlated electron physics in molecular systems. This research was conducted at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, which is a DOE Office of Science User Facility.