Superresolution mapping of energy landscape for single charge carriers in plastic semiconductors.

ABSTRACT: The performance of conjugated polymer devices is largely dictated by charge transport processes. However, it is difficult to obtain a clear relationship between conjugated polymer structures and charge transport properties, due to the complexity of the structure and the dispersive nature of charge transport in conjugated polymers. Here, we develop a method to map the energy landscape for charge transport in conjugated polymers based on simultaneous, correlated charge carrier tracking and single-particle fluorescence spectroscopy. In nanoparticles of the conjugated polymer poly[9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-1,4-benzo-{2,1'-3}-thiadiazole)], two dominant chain conformations were observed, a blue-emitting phase (?_max?=?550?nm) and a red-emitting phase (?_max?=?595?nm). Hole polarons were trapped within the red phase, only occasionally escaping into the blue phase. Polaron hopping between the red-emitting traps was observed, with transition time ranging from tens of milliseconds to several seconds. These results provide unprecedented nanoscale detail about charge transport at the single carrier level.

SUBMITTER: Jiang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6193038 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature