Distance-Dependent Triplet Energy Transfer between CdSe Nanocrystals and Surface Bound Anthracene

We investigate triplet energy transfer (TET) across variable-length aromatic oligo-p-phenylene and aliphatic bridges in a covalently linked CdSe nanocrystal (NC)-bridge-anthracene hybrid system. Photon upconversion measurements in saturated 9,10-diphenylanthracene hexane solutions under air-free conditions at room temperature provided the steady-state rate of TET (ket) across this interface. For flexible transmitters, ket is similar for different lengths of aliphatic bridges, suggesting that the ligands bend backward. For the rigid phenylene spacer, triplet sensitization of anthracene transmitter molecules by CdSe NCs shows a strong distance dependence, with a Dexter damping coefficient of 0.43 ± 0.07 Å(-1). The anthracene transmitter bound closest to the NC surface gave the highest quantum yield of 14.3% for the conversion of green to violet light, the current record for a hybrid platform.