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Uyen N. V. Huynh

Publications and source records attributed to Uyen N. V. Huynh.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

Theory of Primary Photoexcitations in Donor-Acceptor Copolymers

We present a generic theory of primary photoexcitations in low band gap donor-acceptor conjugated copolymers. Because of the combined effects of strong electron correlations and broken symmetry, there is considerable mixing between a charge-transfer exciton and an energetically proximate triplet-triplet state with an overall spin singlet. The triplet-triplet state, optically forbidden in homopolymers, is allowed in donor-acceptor copolymers. For an intermediate difference in electron affinities of the donor and the acceptor, the triplet-triplet state can have stronger oscillator strength than the charge-transfer exciton. We discuss the possibility of intramolecular singlet fission from the triplet-triplet state, and how such fission can be detected experimentally.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Novel primary photoexcitations in $π$-conjugated donor-acceptor copolymers probed by transient magneto-photoinduced-absorption

The saga of the primary photoexcitations in $π$-conjugated polymers has been a source of extraordinary scientific curiosity that has lasted for more than three decades. From soliton excitations in trans-polyacetylene, to singlet and triplet excitons and polarons in other polymers, to charge transfer excitons in blends of polymers and fullerenes, the field has been rich with a variety of different photoexcitation species. Here we show the photogeneration of a novel primary intrachain photoexcitation species, namely the composite multi-exciton (CME) in $π$-conjugated donor-acceptor (DA)-copolymers used in organic photovoltaic (OPV) solar cells. We utilized the magnetic field response of the transient photoinduced absorption from sub-picosecond to millisecond to show in pristine DA-copolymer early photogeneration of the CME species that is composed of four coupled spin 1/2 particles, having unique optical and magnetic signatures. This species decomposes into two independent triplets in the microsecond time domain. Importantly in copolymer/fullerene blends the CME ionization generates photocarriers by a unique process that may enhance the photocurrent in OPV solar cells.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗