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arXiv · 2203.16120

Diffusion-free photon upconversion driven by intramolecular triplet-triplet annihilation in engineered conjugated chromophores

Abstract

The photon upconversion based on sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation (sTTA-UC) is a spin-flip mechanism exploited to recover the energy of dark triplet states in conjugated systems. In this process a high-energy fluorescent singlet is created through the collision and fusion of two low-energy triplets belonging to different diffusing molecules. Its excellent yield in solution under low excitation intensity and non-coherent light highlighted the huge potential of sTTA-UC to provide a breakthrough in solar technologies. However, its diffusion-limited bi-molecular nature limits its efficiency in the solid state. To overcome this issue, we designed a molecular systems able to host simultaneously more than one triplet, thus enabling a diffusion-free intramolecular TTA. We obtain the first direct demonstration of intramolecular triplet fusion by tailored photoluminescence spectroscopy experiments, thus opening the way to realize a new family of single molecule upconverters with huge potential in solar and lightening technologies by accessing the natural triplets energy reservoir.

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Sara Mattiello, Sara Mecca, Alessandra Ronchi, Adiel Calascibetta, Giuseppe Mattioli, Francesca Pallini, Francesco Meinardi, Luca Beverina, Angelo Monguzzi. 2022-03-30. Diffusion-free photon upconversion driven by intramolecular triplet-triplet annihilation in engineered conjugated chromophores. https://arxiv.org/abs/2203.16120

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