arXiv subjects

Souratosh Khan

Publications and source records attributed to Souratosh Khan.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2020

Wavefunction-Based Analysis of Dynamics Versus Yield of Free Triplets in Intramolecular Singlet Fission

Experiments in several intramolecular singlet fission materials have indicated that the triplet-triplet spin biexciton has a much longer lifetime than believed until recently, opening up loss mechanisms that can annihilate the biexciton prior to its dissociation to free triplets. We have performed many-body calculations of excited state wavefunctions of hypothetical phenylene-linked anthracene molecules to better understand linker-dependent behavior of dimers of larger acenes being investigated as potential singlet fission candidates. The calculations reveal unanticipated features that we show carry over to the real covalently-linked pentacene dimers. Dissociation of the correlated triplet-triplet spin biexciton and free triplet generation may be difficult in acene dimers where the formation of the triplet-triplet spin biexciton is truly ultrafast. Conversely, relatively slower biexciton formation may indicate smaller spin biexciton binding energy and greater yield of free triplets. Currently available experimental results appear to support this conclusion. Whether or not the two distinct behaviors are consequences of distinct mechanisms of triplet-triplet generation from the optical singlet is an interesting theoretical question.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

Free Triplets versus Bound Triplet-Triplet Biexciton in Intramolecular Singlet Fission Materials: Structure-Property Correlations

Recent advances in singlet-fission research make it imperative that structure-property correlations that determine optical signatures of the triplet-triplet spin biexciton as well as its binding energy be understood precisely. We report many-body calculations of excited state absorptions from the triplet exciton and the triplet-triplet biexciton from two transversally linked dimers of pentacene derivatives. Comparison of experiment against theory leads to new interpretations of experiments performed earlier. We show that in the para-linked isomer the triplet-triplet does not dissociate to free triplets through the duration of the measurements. In contrast, even as calculated and experimental transient absorptions agree in the meta-isomer, the experimental observations here are more difficult to interpret, indicating the strong role structural variations can play in determining the rate and yield of free triplets. We also report many-body calculations of the spin gap, the energy difference between the spin quintet versus spin singlet triplet-triplet, as well as the binding energy of the spin singlet triplet-triplet, defined as the energy difference between two free triplets and the bound biexciton. The spin gap and the binding energy of the spin singlet triplet-triplet are different quantities in all but coupled two-level systems. The experimental behavior in the transversally linked dimers as well as previously studied longitudinally linked dimers agree with the trends that would be predicted from the computed biexciton binding energies.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Optical Probes of the Quantum-Entangled Triplet-Triplet State in a Heteroacene Dimer

The nature and extent of the spin-entanglement in the triplet-triplet biexciton with total spin zero in correlated-electron $π$-conjugated systems continues to be an enigma. Differences in the ultrafast transient absorption spectra of free triplets versus the triplet-triplet can give a measure of the entanglement. This, however, requires theoretical understandings of transient absorptions from the optical spin-singlet, the lowest spin-triplet exciton as well as from the triplet-triplet state, whose spectra are often overlapping and hence difficult to distinguish. We present a many-electron theory of the electronic structure of the triplet-triplet, and of complete wavelength-dependent excited state absorptions (ESAs) from all three states in a heteroacene dimer of interest in the field of intramolecular singlet fission. The theory allows direct comparisons of ESAs with existing experiments as well as experimental predictions, and gives physical understandings of transient absorptions within a pictorial exciton basis that can be carried over to other experimental systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Diagrammatic Exciton Basis Theory of the Photophysics of Pentacene Dimers

Covalently linked acene dimers are of interest as candidates for intramolecular singlet fission. We report many-electron calculations of the energies and wavefunctions of the optical singlets, the lowest triplet exciton and the triplet-triplet biexciton, as well as the final states of excited state absorptions from these states in a family of phenyl-linked pentacene dimers. While it is difficult to distinguish between the triplet and the triplet-triplet from their transient absorptions in the 500-600 nm region, by comparing theoretical transient absorption spectra against published and unpublished experimental transient absorptions in the near and mid infrared we conclude that the end product of photoexcitation in these particular bipentacenes is the bound triplet-triplet and not free triplets. We predict additional transient absorptions at even longer wavelengths, beyond 1500 nm, to the equivalent of the classic 2$^1$A$_g^-$ in linear polyenes.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Theory of Transient Excited State Absorptions in Solid Pentacene with Implications for Singlet Fission

We report the first theoretical calculations of excited state absorptions (ESAs) from the singlet and triplet excitons, as well as the key intermediate in the singlet fission (SF) process, the spin singlet multiexciton triplet-triplet state, for solid pentacene with herringbone crystal structure. Our goal is to compare theoretical results against ultrafast transient photoinduced absorption (PA) measurements and their interpretations, which have remained controversial. We show that the elusive triplet-triplet state absorbs both in the visible and near infrared (NIR), at or close to the PA energies assigned to the free triplet exciton. In contrast, the triplet PA has nearly vanishing oscillator strength in the NIR within the rigid herringbone structure. Observable oscillator strength for NIR triplet PA requires photoinduced enhancement of coupling between a pair of neighboring pentacene molecules that confers significant charge-transfer (CT) character to the triplet exciton. We discuss the implication of our results for efficient SF in pentacene and related materials.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗