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Endothermic singlet fission is hindered by excimer formation
Cameron B Dover1, Joseph K Gallaher1, Laszlo Frazer1
1ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Chemistry, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
Nature Chemistry
|February 21, 2018
Summary
Singlet fission, a process boosting solar cell efficiency, is hindered by excimer formation. Avoiding excimers in endothermic singlet fission materials is key to maximizing photovoltaic performance.
Area of Science:
- Photovoltaics
- Organic Electronics
- Photochemistry
Background:
- Singlet fission generates two triplet excitons from one photon, enhancing photovoltaic efficiency.
- Endothermic singlet fission is crucial for maximum energy conversion.
- Excimer intermediates have been proposed but their role in singlet fission remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clarify the role of excimer-like states in endothermic singlet fission.
- To investigate the impact of excimer formation on singlet fission yield.
- To guide the design of materials for efficient photovoltaic applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 5,12-bis((triisopropylsilyl)ethynyl)tetracene in solution as a model system.
- Spectroscopic analysis to probe excited state dynamics.
- Investigated intermolecular distances for singlet fission and triplet-triplet annihilation.
Main Results:
- The excimer state acts as a trap for excited states, reducing singlet fission efficiency.
- Singlet fission and triplet-triplet annihilation occur at longer intermolecular distances than previously assumed for excimer intermediates.
- Excimer formation is detrimental to achieving high singlet fission yields.
Conclusions:
- Endothermic singlet fission materials should be designed to prevent excimer formation.
- Avoiding excimers allows singlet fission to achieve its full potential in solar energy conversion.
- This research provides critical insights for developing next-generation photovoltaic technologies.
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