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A major limitation of transient optical spectroscopy is that relatively high laser fluences are required to enable broadband, multichannel detection with acceptable signal-to-noise levels. Under typical experimental conditions, many condensed phase and nanoscale materials exhibit fluence-dependent dynamics, including higher order effects such as carrier–carrier annihilation. With the proliferation of commercial laser systems, offering both high repetition rates and high pulse energies, have come new opportunities for high sensitivity pump-probe measurements at low pump fluences. However, experimental considerations needed to fully leverage the statistical advantage of these laser systems have not been fully described. Here, we demonstrate a high repetition rate, broadband transient spectrometer capable of multichannel shot-to-shot detection at 90 kHz. Importantly, we find that several high-speed cameras exhibit a time-domain fixed pattern noise resulting from interleaved analog-to-digital converters, which is particularly detrimental to the conventional “ON/OFF” modulation scheme used in pump-probe spectroscopy. Using a modified modulation and data processing scheme, we achieve a noise level of 10−5 in 4 s for differential transmission, an order of magnitude lower than for commercial 1 kHz transient spectrometers for the same acquisition time. We leverage the high sensitivity of this system to measure the differential transmission of monolayer graphene at low pump fluence. We show that signals on the order of 10−6 OD can be measured, enabling a new data acquisition regime for low-dimensional materials.

Singlet fission (SF) is a mechanism of exciton multiplication in organic chromophores, which has potential to drive highly efficient optoelectronic devices. Creating effective device architectures that operate by SF critically depends on electronic interactions across multiple length scales─from individual molecules to interchromophore interactions that facilitate multiexciton dephasing and exciton diffusion toward donor-acceptor interfaces. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the underpinnings of multiexciton transport and interfacial energy transfer in multichromophore systems. Interestingly, block copolymers (BCPs) can be designed to control multiscale interactions by tailoring the nature of the building blocks, yet SF dynamics are not well understood in these macromolecules. Here, we designed diblock copolymers comprising an inherent energy cleft at the interface between a block with pendent pentacene chromophores and an additional block with pendent tetracene chromophores. The singlet and triplet energy offset between the two blocks creates a driving force for exciton transport along the BCP chain in dilute solution. Using time-resolved optical spectroscopy, we have quantified the yields of key energy transfer steps, including both singlet and triplet energy transfer processes across the pentacene-tetracene interface. From this modular BCP architecture, we correlate the energy transfer time scales and relative yields with the length of each block. The ability to quantify these energy transfer processes provides valuable insights into exciton transport at critical length scales between bulk crystalline systems and small-molecule dimers─an area that has been underexplored.

We investigate triplet pair dynamics in pentacene dimers that have varying degrees of coplanarity (pentacene-pentacene twist angle). The fine-tuning of the twist angle was achieved by alternating connectivity at the 1-position or 2-positions of pentacene. This mix-and-match connectivity leads to tunable twist angles between the two covalently linked pentacenes. These twisted dimers allow us to investigate the subtle effects that the dihedral angle between the covalently linked pentacenes imparts on singlet fission and triplet pair recombination dynamics. We observe that as the dihedral angle between the two bonded pentacenes is increased, the rates of singlet fission decrease, while the accompanying decrease in triplet recombination rates is stark. Temperature-dependent transient optical studies combined with theoretical calculations show that the triplet pair recombination proceeds primarily through a direct multiexciton internal conversion process. Calculations further show that the significant decrease in recombination rates can be directly attributed to a corresponding decrease in the magnitude of the nonadiabatic coupling between the singlet multiexcitonic state and the ground state. These results highlight the importance of the twist angle in designing systems that exhibit rapid singlet fission, while maintaining long triplet pair lifetimes in pentacene dimers.

Microcrystal electron diffraction, grazing incidence wide-angle scattering, and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used to determine the unit cell structure and the relative composition of dimethylated diketopyrrolopyrrole (MeDPP) H- and J-polymorphs within thin films subjected to vapor solvent annealing (VSA) for different times. Electronic structure and excited state deactivation pathways of the different polymorphs were examined by transient absorption spectroscopy, conductive probe atomic force microscopy, and molecular modeling. We find VSA initially converts amorphous films into mixtures of H- and J-polymorphs and promotes further conversion from H to J with longer VSA times. Though both polymorphs exhibit efficient SF to form coupled triplets, free triplet yields are higher in J-polymorph films compared to mixed films because coupling in J-aggregates is lower, and, in turn, more favorable for triplet decoupling.

A library of thio- and selenourea derivatives is used to adjust the kinetics of PbE (E = S, Se) nanocrystal formation across a 1000-fold range (kr = 10−1 to 10−4 s−1), at several temperatures (80–120 °C), under a standard set of conditions (Pb[thin space (1/6-em)]:[thin space (1/6-em)]E = 1.2[thin space (1/6-em)]:[thin space (1/6-em)]1, [Pb(oleate)2] = 10.8 mM, [chalcogenourea] = 9.0 mM). An induction delay (tind) is observed prior to the onset of nanocrystal absorption during which PbE solute is observed using in situ X-ray total scattering. Density functional theory models fit to the X-ray pair distribution function (PDF) support a Pb2(μ2-S)2(Pb(O2CR)2)2 structure. Absorption spectra of aliquots reveal a continuous increase in the number of nanocrystals over more than half of the total reaction time at low temperatures. A strong correlation between the width of the nucleation phase and reaction temperature is observed that does not correlate with the polydispersity. These findings are antithetical to the critical concentration dependence of nucleation that underpins the La Mer hypothesis and demonstrates that the duration of the nucleation period has a minor influence on the size distribution. The results can be explained by growth kinetics that are size dependent, more rapid at high temperature, and self limiting at low temperatures.

Triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC) is an unconventional photophysical process that yields high-energy photons from low-energy incident light and offers pathways for innovation across many technologies, including solar energy harvesting, photochemistry, and optogenetics. Within aromatic organic chromophores, TTA-UC is achieved through several consecutive energy conversion events that ultimately fuse two triplet excitons into a singlet exciton. In chromophores where the singlet exciton is roughly isoergic with two triplet excitons, the limiting step is the triplet-triplet annihilation pathway, where the kinetics and yield depend sensitively on the energies of the lowest singlet and triplet excited states. Herein we report up to 40-fold improvements in upconversion quantum yields using molecular engineering to selectively tailor the relative energies of the lowest singlet and triplet excited states, enhancing the yield of triplet-triplet annihilation and promoting radiative decay of the resulting singlet exciton. Using this general and effective strategy, we obtain upconversion yields with red emission that are among the highest reported, with remarkable chemical stability under ambient conditions.

A major benefit of intramolecular singlet fission (iSF) materials, in which through-bond interactions mediate triplet pair formation, is the ability to control the triplet formation dynamics through molecular engineering. One common design strategy is the use of molecular bridges to mediate interchromophore interactions, decreasing electronic coupling by increasing chromophore-chromophore separation. Here, we report how the judicious choice of aromatic bridges can enhance chromophore-chromophore electronic coupling. This molecular engineering strategy takes advantage of "bridge resonance", in which the frontier orbital energies are nearly degenerate with those of the covalently linked singlet fission chromophores, resulting in fast iSF even at large interchromophore separations. Using transient absorption spectroscopy, we investigate this bridge resonance effect in a series of pentacene and tetracene-bridged dimers, and we find that the rate of triplet formation is enhanced as the bridge orbitals approach resonance. This work highlights the important role of molecular connectivity in controlling the rate of iSF through chemical bonds and establishes critical design principles for future use of iSF materials in optoelectronic devices.

Quantum interference (QI)-the constructive or destructive interference of conduction pathways through molecular orbitals-plays a fundamental role in enhancing or suppressing charge and spin transport in organic molecular electronics. Graphical models were developed to predict constructive versus destructive interference in polyaromatic hydrocarbons and have successfully estimated the large conductivity differences observed in single-molecule transport measurements. A major challenge lies in extending these models to excitonic (photoexcited) processes, which typically involve distinct orbitals with different symmetries. Here we investigate how QI models can be applied as bridging moieties in intramolecular singlet-fission compounds to predict relative rates of triplet pair formation. In a series of bridged intramolecular singlet-fission dimers, we found that destructive QI always leads to a slower triplet pair formation across different bridge lengths and geometries. A combined experimental and theoretical approach reveals the critical considerations of bridge topology and frontier molecular orbital energies in applying QI conductance principles to predict rates of multiexciton generation.

We have fabricated visible-absorbing gallium arsenide metasurfaces for use in photoelectrochemical cells and demonstrated resonant enhancements of the incident photon-to-current photocurrent efficiency by approximately four times compared to unpattern surfaces.

Strong light–matter coupling results in the formation of hybrid half-light half-matter excitations with modified energy levels. The strong coupling of excitons with photons in organic molecular sys...

Singlet fission (SF) is an exciton multiplication process with the potential to raise the efficiency limit of single junction solar cells from 33% to up to 45%. Most chromophores generally undergo SF as solid-state crystals. However, when such molecules are covalently coupled, the dimers can be used as model systems to study fundamental photophysical dynamics where a singlet exciton splits into two triplet excitons within individual molecules. Here we report the synthesis and photophysical characterization of singlet fission of a hexacene dimer. Comparing the hexacene dimer to analogous tetracene and pentacene dimers reveals that excess exoergicity slows down singlet fission, similar to what is observed in molecular crystals. Conversely, the lower triplet energy of hexacene results in an increase in the rate of triplet pair recombination, following the energy gap law for radiationless transitions. These results point to design rules for singlet fission chromophores: the energy gap between singlet and triplet pair should be minimal, and the gap between triplet pair and ground state should be large., We report the synthesis and photophysical characterization of highly exoergic singlet fission in a hexacene dimer revealing exciton dynamics that follow the energy gap law.

The synthesis and structure of atomically precise Au130-x Agx (average x=98) alloy nanoclusters protected by 55 ligands of 4-tert-butylbenzenethiolate are reported. This large alloy structure has a decahedral M54 (M=Au/Ag) core. The Au atoms are localized in the truncated Marks decahedron. In the core, a drum of Ag-rich sites is found, which is enclosed by a Marks decahedral cage of Au-rich sites. The surface is exclusively Ag-SR; X-ray absorption fine structure analysis supports the absence of Au-S bonds. The optical absorption spectrum shows a strong peak at 523 nm, seemingly a plasmon peak, but fs spectroscopic analysis indicates its non-plasmon nature. The non-metallicity of the Au130-x Agx nanocluster has set up a benchmark to study the transition to metallic state in the size evolution of bimetallic nanoclusters. The localized Au/Ag binary architecture in such a large alloy nanocluster provides atomic-level insights into the Au-Ag bonds in bimetallic nanoclusters.

The concept of modifying molecular dynamics in strongly coupled exciton-polariton systems is an emerging topic in photonics. However, there is no consensus on the types of molecular systems whose dynamics can be modified using strong coupling. These open questions stem from persistent uncertainties concerning the lifetime and conversion dynamics of exciton-polaritons and localized excited states as well as the proper way to measure such interactions in the time-domain. Here, we provide a framework for measuring dynamical interactions between exciton-polaritons and a diverse manifold of singlet, triplet, and multiexciton states, using a model molecular spin conversion (singlet fission) system that is strongly coupled to an optical microcavity. In addition to the usual population dynamics, transient optical measurements on microcavities are sensitive to transient modifications of the exciton-polariton transition energies, exciton-photon coupling conditions, and thermal excitations of the cavity mirrors.

Singlet fission is commonly defined as the generation of two triplet excitons from a single absorbed photon. However, ambiguities within this definition arise due to the complexity of the various double triplet states that exist in SF chromophores and the corresponding interconversion processes. To clarify this process, singlet fission is frequently depicted as sequential two-step conversion in which a singlet exciton decays into a bound triplet-pair biexciton state that dissociates into two "free" triplet excitons. However, this model discounts the potential for direct harvesting from the coupled biexciton state. Here, it is demonstrated that individual triplet excitons can be extracted directly from a bound triplet pair. It is demonstrated that due to the requirement for geminate triplet-triplet annihilation in intramolecular singlet fission compounds, unique spectral and kinetic signatures can be used to quantify triplet-pair harvesting yields. An internal quantum efficiency for triplet exciton transfer from the triplet pair of50%, limited only by the solubility of the compounds is achieved. The harvesting process is not dependent on the net multiplicity of the triplet-pair state, suggesting that an explicit, independent dissociation step is not a requirement for using triplet pairs to do chemical or electrical work.

Summary Tuning singlet fission (SF) dynamics in the solid states in a controllable way is vitally important yet still a challenge due to the electronic coupling, which is highly sensitive to molecular packing. Here, we demonstrate a molecular engineering approach to independently optimize the triplet generation and decay process in intramolecular SF films by using terphenyl-bridged TIPS-pentacene tetramers. By controlling the degree of steric hindrance within individual tetramers, we can systematically tune the degree of intermolecular coupling in thin films. Taking advantage of both the intra- and intermolecular SF processes allows us to maintain a rapid triplet pair generation process, even in the case of weak intermolecular coupling. This approach allows us to maintain a picosecond triplet generation process while simultaneously varying the rate constants for triplet-triplet annihilation over three orders of magnitude.

Singlet fission is a photophysical process in which two triplet excitons are produced from one singlet exciton. Understanding the details of this process, especially the properties of intermediates between singlet excitons and free triplet excitons, is particularly important to its optimization and application. Herein, we explore the bound triplet pair, m(T1T1), an important intermediate state in singlet fission. We highlight a growing number of studies indicating there is an energetic stabilization of triplet-pair states relative to free triplets. This stabilization enables endothermic singlet fission processes and often results in long lifetimes of the bound triplet-pair state. However, triplets in close proximity demonstrate heightened recombination and reduced excited-state lifetimes. The ubiquity of bound triplet-pair states in recent reports indicates the importance of this state, the need to discern it from free triplets, and the usefulness of having carefully tuned interactions between triplets produced by singlet fission.

Triplet fusion upconversion, the conversion of two low-energy photons into one higher-energy photon via excitonic intermediates, has the potential to revolutionize fields as diverse as biological imaging, photovoltaics, and optogenetics. However, important hurdles to widespread application still exist; for example, the vast majority of demonstrations are in nonpolar solvents, limiting applications. Furthermore, the necessary high concentrations of dyes limit optical penetration depth. Efforts toward aqueous solutions utilizing micelles and other nanoencapsulants have been limited by poor efficiencies or scatter from the nanoparticles. Here, we demonstrate a facile micellular fabrication method that drives a high boiling point solvent into the core of a block copolymer micelle, greatly reducing molecular aggregation. We show that this simple preparation is scalable and provides benefits across five different colors of photon upconversion. We expect this simple, user-friendly, and high-performance system to aid a multitude of photon upconversion applications, in particular, for optogenetics, photodynamic therapy, and photochemistry.

Singlet fission has emerged as a key mechanism of exciton multiplication in organic chromophores, generating two triplet excitons from a single photon. Singlet fission is typically studied in crystalline films or in isolated dimers. Here, we investigate an intermediate regime where through-space interactions mediate singlet fission and triplet pair recombination within isolated polymer chains. Specifically, we investigate how appending pentacenes to a polynorbornene backbone can lead to macromolecules that take advantage of through-space π-π interactions for fast singlet fission and rapid triplet pair dissociation. Singlet fission in these systems is affected by molecular dynamics, and triplet-triplet recombination is a geminate process where the rate of recombination scales with molecular-weight. We find that these pendent pentacene polymers yield free triplets with lifetimes that surpass those of crystalline chromophores in both solution as isolated polymers and in thin films.

Atomic packing controls exciton lifetime Like semiconductors, small metallic clusters can absorb light and create excitons (electron-hole pairs). In ligand-capped gold clusters of 30 to 40 atoms (Au 30 to Au 40 ) that adopt the usual face-centered cubic packing, the lifetime of these excitons is ∼100 nanoseconds. Zhou et al. found that atomic packing and molecular orbital overlap can greatly affect carrier lifetimes. Despite having similar bandgaps to those of face-centered cubic clusters, a hexagonal close-packed Au 30 cluster had a much shorter lifetime (∼1 nanosecond), and a body-centered cubic Au 38 cluster had a lifetime of ∼5 microseconds, which is comparable to bulk silicon. Science , this issue p. 279

Multicomponent oxynitrides significantly broaden the library of material design and promise wide applications for optoelectronics and solar energy conversion. Controlled growth of multicomponent ox...

Recent synthetic studies on the organic molecules tetracene and pentacene have found certain dimers and oligomers to exhibit an intense absorption in the visible region of the spectrum which is not present in the monomer or many previously-studied dimers. In this article we combine experimental synthesis with electronic structure theory and spectral computation to show that this absorption arises from an otherwise dark charge-transfer excitation 'borrowing intensity' from an intense UV excitation. Further, by characterizing the role of relevant monomer molecular orbitals, we arrive at a design principle that allows us to predict the presence or absence of an additional absorption based on the bonding geometry of the dimer. We find this rule correctly explains the spectra of a wide range of acene derivatives and solves an unexplained structure-spectrum phenomenon first observed seventy years ago. These results pave the way for the design of highly absorbent chromophores with applications ranging from photovoltaics to liquid crystals., 29 pages, 63 pages with SI, 5 figures

Optical upconversion is a net process by which two low energy photons are converted into one higher energy photon. There is vast potential to exploit upconversion in applications ranging from solar energy and biological imaging to data storage and photocatalysis. Here, we link two upconverting chromophores together to synthesize a series of novel tetracene dimers for use as annihilators. When compared with the monomer annihilator, TIPS–tetracene, the dimers yield a strong enhancement in the triplet fusion process, also known as triplet–triplet annihilation, as demonstrated via a large increase in upconversion efficiency and an order of magnitude reduction of the threshold power for maximum yield. Along with the ongoing rapid improvements to sensitizer materials, the dimerization improvements demonstrated here open the way to a wide variety of emerging upconversion applications.

Doping is generally understood as a strategy for including additional positive or negative charge carriers in a semiconductor, thereby tuning the Fermi level and changing its electronic properties in the equilibrium limit. However, because dopants also couple to all of the microscopic degrees of freedom in the host, they may also alter the nonequilibrium dynamical properties of the parent material, especially at large dopant concentrations. Here, we show how substitutional doping by tungsten at the 1 at. % level modifies the complex electronic and lattice dynamics of the phase-change material vanadium dioxide. Using femtosecond broadband spectroscopy, we compare dynamics in epitaxial thin films of pristine and tungsten-doped $\mathrm{V}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ over the broadest wavelength and temporal ranges yet reported. We demonstrate that coupling of tungsten atoms to the host lattice modifies the early electron-phonon dynamics on a femtosecond timescale, altering in a counterintuitive way the ps-to-ns optical signatures of the phase transition. Density functional theory correctly captures the enthalpy difference between pristine and W-doped $\mathrm{V}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ and shows how the dopant softens critical V-V phonon modes while introducing new phononic modes due to W-V bonds. While substitutional doping provides a powerful method to control the switching threshold and contrast of phase-change materials, determining how the dopant dynamically changes the broadband optical response is equally important for optoelectronics.

Efficient photovoltaic cells based on thin films of solution-processed 2D Ruddlesden–Popper hybrid perovskites (RPPs) represent an exciting breakthrough due to their enhanced tunability and chemica...

The concept of modifying molecular dynamics in strongly coupled exciton-polariton systems is an emerging topic in photonics due to its potential to produce customized chemical systems with tailored photophysical properties. However, before such systems can be realized, it is essential to address the open questions concerning the nature and strength of electronic interactions between exciton-polaritons and localized excited states in chemical system as well as the proper way to measure such interactions. Here, we use transient optical spectroscopy to investigate dynamical interactions between exciton-polaritons, singlet excitons, and triplet excitons in a molecular singlet fission system that is strongly coupled to an optical microcavity. We identify some of the major limitations to modify molecular dynamics in the strong coupling regime. Simultaneous excitation of cavity polaritons and 'reservoir' states, defined as dark polaritons and dark excitons (e.g. triplets) from coupled molecules and excitons from uncoupled molecules, always occurs. In addition, slow conversion from reservoir states to cavity polaritons results in minimal changes to the overall population dynamics. Furthermore, we demonstrate how in addition to the usual population dynamics, transient optical measurements on microcavities reveal information pertaining to modification of the exciton-polariton transition energies due to changes in the population of molecular excited states and the exciton-photon coupling conditions. As a consequence of weak interactions between reservoir states and cavity polaritons, judicious design considerations are required to achieve modified chemical dynamics, necessitating the use of molecular systems with long excited-state lifetimes or strong coupling approaches that require a small number of molecules.

There is growing interest in using strongly coupled organic microcavities to tune molecular dynamics, including the electronic and vibrational properties of molecules. However, very little attention has been paid to the utility of cavity polaritons as sensors for out-of-equilibrium phenomena, including thermal excitations. Here, we demonstrate that non-resonant infrared excitation of an organic microcavity system induces a transient response in the visible spectral range near the cavity polariton resonances. We show how these optical responses can be understood in terms of ultrafast heating of electrons in the metal cavity mirror, which modifies the effective refractive index and subsequently the strong coupling conditions. The temporal dynamics of the microcavity are strictly determined by carriers in the metal, including the cooling of electrons via electron–phonon coupling and excitation of propagating coherent acoustic modes in the lattice. We rule out multiphoton excitation processes and verify that no real polariton population exists despite their strong transient features. These results suggest the cavity polaritons to be promising as sensitive probes of non-equilibrium phenomena.

We synthesized a new class of heterostructures by depositing CdS, CdSe, or CdTe quantum dots (QDs) onto α-V

The evolution of the optical properties of gold nanoclusters (NCs) versus size is of great importance because it not only reveals the nature of quantum confinement in NCs, but also helps to understand how the molecular-like Au NCs transit to plasmonic nanoparticles. While some work has been done in studying the optical properties of NCs of certain individual sizes, the global picture remains unclear, such as the detailed relationship between size/structure and properties. Here, we investigate the grand evolution of the optical properties by comparing the steady-state absorption, bandgap, transient absorption, as well as carrier dynamics of a series of thiolate-protected gold NCs ranging from tens to hundreds of gold atoms. We find that, on the basis of their optical behaviors, gold NCs can be classified into three groups: (i) ultrasmall NCs (ca.50 Au atoms) are nonscalable as their optical properties are strongly dependent on the structure rather than size; (ii) medium-sized NCs (about 50-100 Au atoms) show both size- and structure-dependent optical properties; and (iii) large-sized gold NCs (ca.100 Au atoms) exhibit optical properties solely dependent on size, and the structure effect fades out. Unraveling the grand evolution from nonscalable to scalable optical properties and their mechanisms will greatly deepen scientific understanding of the nature of quantum-sized gold NCs and will also provide implications for plasmonic NPs.

Gold(Ⅰ) thiolate compounds (i.e. AuⅠ-SR) are important precursors for the synthesis of atomically precise Aun(SR)m nanoclusters. However, the nature of the AuⅠ-SR precursor remains elusive. Here, we report that the Au10(TBBT)10 complex is a universal precursor for the synthesis of Aun(TBBT)m nanoclusters (where TBBT=4-tertbutylbenzenethiol/thiolate). Interestingly, the Au10(TBBT)10 complex is also found to be re-generated through extended etching of the Aun(SR)m nanoclusters with excess of TBBT thiol and O2. The formation of well-defined Au10(TBBT)10 complex, instead of polymeric AuⅠ-SR, is attributed to the bulkiness of the TBBT thiol. Through 1D and 2D NMR characterization, the structure of Au10(TBBT)10 is correlated with the previously reported X-ray structure, which contains two inter-penetrated Au5(TBBT)5 rings. The photophysical property of Au10(TBBT)10 complex is further probed by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. The accessibility of the precise Au10(TBBT)10 precursor improves the efficiency of the synthesis of the Aun(TBBT)m nanoclusters and is expected to further facilitate excellent control and understanding of the reaction mechanisms of nanocluster synthesis.

Broadband high reflectance in nature is often the result of randomly, three-dimensionally structured materials. This study explores unique optical properties associated with one-dimensional nanostructures discovered in silk cocoon fibers of the comet moth, Argema mittrei. The fibers are populated with a high density of air voids randomly distributed across the fiber cross-section but are invariant along the fiber. These filamentary air voids strongly scatter light in the solar spectrum. A single silk fiber measuring ~50 μm thick can reflect 66% of incoming solar radiation, and this, together with the fibers’ high emissivity of 0.88 in the mid-infrared range, allows the cocoon to act as an efficient radiative-cooling device. Drawing inspiration from these natural radiative-cooling fibers, biomimetic nanostructured fibers based on both regenerated silk fibroin and polyvinylidene difluoride are fabricated through wet spinning. Optical characterization shows that these fibers exhibit exceptional optical properties for radiative-cooling applications: nanostructured regenerated silk fibers provide a solar reflectivity of 0.73 and a thermal emissivity of 0.90, and nanostructured polyvinylidene difluoride fibers provide a solar reflectivity of 0.93 and a thermal emissivity of 0.91. The filamentary air voids lead to highly directional scattering, giving the fibers a highly reflective sheen, but more interestingly, they enable guided optical modes to propagate along the fibers through transverse Anderson localization. This discovery opens up the possibility of using wild silkmoth fibers as a biocompatible and bioresorbable material for optical signal and image transport., Optical fibres: Unique properties woven in silk Silk cocoon fibres of the comet moth Argema mittrei could be used to create new materials for transporting optical signals and images, possibly serving as biocompatible and resorbable light guides for medical applications. Researchers led by Nanfang Yu at Columbia University in New York, explored the unique optical properties of the silk. The fibres have many filamentary air voids arranged in a dense array that effectively scatters sunlight. This allows them to act as natural cooling devices, protecting the moth pupae from temperature fluctuations. The researchers were inspired to make synthetic fibres mimicking the natural ones. In addition to the useful radiative cooling effect, the fibres guide light in a manner that may allow efficient transmission of signals and images. Applications in optical therapies, medical diagnostics and tissue engineering should be explored.

The optical properties of metal nanoparticles have attracted wide interest. Recent progress in controlling nanoparticles with atomic precision (often called nanoclusters) provide new opportunities for investigating many fundamental questions, such as the transition from excitonic to plasmonic state, which is a central question in metal nanoparticle research because it provides insights into the origin of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) as well as the formation of metallic bond. However, this question still remains elusive because of the extreme difficulty in preparing atomically precise nanoparticles larger than 2 nm. Here we report the synthesis and optical properties of an atomically precise Au279(SR)84 nanocluster. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopic analysis reveals that the Au279 nanocluster shows a laser power dependence in its excited state lifetime, indicating metallic state of the particle, in contrast with the nonmetallic electronic structure of the Au246(SR)80 nanocluster. Steady-sta...

Doping is a quite useful strategy for probing the structure and properties of metal nanoclusters, but the effect of doping on the photodynamical properties is still not fully understood. Here, we reveal that the number of valence electrons plays a major role in determining the photodynamics of M1Au24(SR)18 nanoclusters. By carrying out temperature-dependent optical absorption, it is found that Cd doping enhances electron–phonon coupling while Hg doping does not significantly alter the coupling. Moreover, the relaxation dynamics of [M1Au24(SR)18]0 (M = Hg/Cd) nanoclusters show similar features to that of the negatively charged Au25 nanocluster. Specifically, the 8-electron M1Au24 (M = Cd/Hg) nanoclusters show a long excited-state lifetime (50−200 ns) and a weak picosecond relaxation, similar to the case of the anionic [Au25]− nanocluster. On the other hand, the non-8-electron MAu24 (M = Pd/Pt) nanoclusters show much more significant picosecond relaxation and thus much shorter excited-state lifetimes, which...

The transition from molecular to plasmonic behaviour in metal nanoparticles with increasing size remains a central question in nanoscience. We report that the giant 246-gold-atom nanocluster (2.2 nm in gold core diameter) protected by 80 thiolate ligands is surprisingly non-metallic based on UV-vis and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy as well as electrochemical measurements. Specifically, the Au246 nanocluster exhibits multiple excitonic peaks in transient absorption spectra and electron dynamics independent of the pump power, which are in contrast to the behaviour of metallic gold nanoparticles. Moreover, a prominent oscillatory feature with frequency of 0.5 THz can be observed in almost all the probe wavelengths. The phase and amplitude analysis of the oscillation suggests that it arises from the wavepacket motion on the ground state potential energy surface, which also indicates the presence of a small band-gap and thus non-metallic or molecular-like behaviour.

Understanding the correlation between the atomic structure and optical properties of gold nanoclusters is essential for exploration of their functionalities and applications involving light harvesting and electron transfer. We report the femto-nanosecond excited state dynamics of a periodic series of face-centered cubic (FCC) gold nanoclusters (including Au28, Au36, Au44, and Au52), which exhibit a set of unique features compared with other similar sized clusters. Molecular-like ultrafast Sn → S1 internal conversions (i.e., radiationless electronic transitions) are observed in the relaxation dynamics of FCC periodic series. Excited-state dynamics with near-HOMO–LUMO gap excitation lacks ultrafast decay component, and only the structural relaxation dominates in the dynamical process, which proves the absence of core–shell relaxation. Interestingly, both the relaxation of the hot carriers and the band-edge carrier recombination become slower as the size increases. The evolution in excited-state properties o...

Semiconductor photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting require efficient carrier generation, separation, and transport at and beyond the space charge region (SCR) formed at the aqueous interface. The trade-off between photon collection and minority carrier delivery governs the photoelectrode design and implies maximum water splitting efficiency at an electrode thickness equivalent to the light absorption depth. Here, using planar ZnO thin films as a model system, we identify the photocarriers beyond the SCR as another significant source to substantially enhance the PEC performance. The high-quality ZnO films synthesized by pulsed laser deposition feature very few deep trap states and support a long photocarrier lifetime. Combined with photoelectrochemical characterization, ultrafast spectroscopy, and numerical calculations, it is revealed that engineering the exciton concentration gradient by film thickness facilitates the inward diffusion of photocarriers from the neighboring illumi...

One measure of exciton mobility in an aggregate is the efficiency of exciton-exciton annihilation (EEA). Both exciton mobilities and EEA are enhanced for aggregate morphologies in which the distances between chromophores and their relative orientations are favorable for Forster energy transfer. Here this principle is applied to gauge the strength of interchain interactions in aggregates of two substituted PPV oligomers of 7 (OPPV7) and 13 (OPPV13) phenylene rings. These are models of the semiconducting conjugated polymer MEH-PPV. The aggregates were formed by adding a poor solvent (methanol or water) to the oligomers dissolved in a good solvent. Aggregates formed from the longer-chain oligomer and/or by addition of the more polar solvent showed the largest contribution of EEA in their emission decay dynamics. This was found to correlate with the degree to which the steady-state emission spectrum of the monomer is altered by aggregation. The wavelength dependence of the EEA signal was also shown to be useful in differentiating emission features due to monomeric and aggregated chains when their spectra overlap significantly.

Structural isomerism in nanoparticles has recently emerged as a new topic and stimulated research interest because the atomic structures of ultrasmall nanoparticles may have great impact on their fundamental properties and applications. Here we report the correlation between ultrafast relaxation dynamics and atomic structures of two isomers of thiolate-protected Au38(SC2H4Ph)24. The bi-icosahedral Au38 (denoted as Au38Q) with a Au23 inner core in its atomic structure shows rapid decay (1.5 ps) followed by nanosecond relaxation to the ground state, whereas its structural isomer (Au38T) exhibits similar relaxation processes, but the rapid decay is accelerated by ∼50% (1.0 ps). The picosecond relaxations in both cases can be assigned to core–shell charge transfer or electronic rearrangement within the metal core. The acceleration of the fast decay in Au38T is ascribed to its unique core structure, which is made up of a mono-icosahedral Au13 capped by a Au12 tri-tetrahedron by sharing two atoms. Interestingly...

Semiconductor heterostructures for solar energy conversion interface light-harvesting semiconductor nanoparticles with wide-band-gap semiconductors that serve as charge acceptors. In such heterostructures, the kinetics of charge separation depend on the thermodynamic driving force, which is dictated by energetic offsets across the interface. A recently developed promising platform interfaces semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) with ternary vanadium oxides that have characteristic midgap states situated between the valence and conduction bands. In this work, we have prepared CdS/β-Pb0.33V2O5 heterostructures by both linker-assisted assembly and surface precipitation and contrasted these materials with CdSe/β-Pb0.33V2O5 heterostructures prepared by the same methods. Increased valence-band (VB) edge onsets in X-ray photoelectron spectra for CdS/β-Pb0.33V2O5 heterostructures relative to CdSe/β-Pb0.33V2O5 heterostructures suggest a positive shift in the VB edge potential and, therefore, an increased driving force...

Singlet fission, in which two triplet excitons are generated from a single absorbed photon, is a key third-generation solar cell concept. Conservation of angular momentum requires that singlet fission populates correlated multiexciton states, which can subsequently dissociate to generate free triplets. However, little is known about electronic and spin correlations in these systems since, due to its typically short lifetime, the multiexciton state is challenging to isolate and study. Here, we use bridged pentacene dimers, which undergo intramolecular singlet fission while isolated in solution and in solid matrices, as a unimolecular model system that can trap long-lived multiexciton states. We combine transient absorption and time-resolved electron spin resonance spectroscopies to show that spin correlations in the multiexciton state persist for hundreds of nanoseconds. Furthermore, we confirm long-standing predictions that singlet fission produces triplet pair states of quintet character. We compare two different pentacene–bridge–pentacene chromophores, systematically tuning the coupling between the pentacenes to understand how differences in molecular structure affect the population and dissociation of multiexciton quintet states. Experiments show how molecular structure affects the interaction and dynamics of the triplet exciton pairs produced when an excited singlet exciton decays via singlet fission — a process that could be harnessed for optoelectronic applications.

A nascent challenge for organic semiconductors is their application in infrared optoelectronics. However, infrared absorption is linked to the formation of strong electronic correlations and open-shell character. We use ultrafast spectroscopy to identify and explain the unusual photophysics of these materials.

The synthesis and structure of atomically precise Au