Non-equilibrium charge transport in a conjugated polymer

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Understanding non-equilibrium transport in conjugated polymers is crucial for electronic applications.
• Conventional models often focus on localized excitations like polarons and solitons.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate the dynamics of lattice deformation and charge transport in conjugated polymers under non-equilibrium conditions.
• Characterize the nature of excitations and their role in charge transport.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the time-dependent non-equilibrium Green's function formalism.
• Employed analytical derivations based on a continuum model.
• Analyzed lattice deformation and charge carrier dynamics.

Main Results:

• Discovered the formation of a delocalized soliton lattice wave (SLW) instead of localized excitations.
• Observed electron-like and hole-like transient SLWs propagating in opposite directions, merging into a steady SLW.
• Identified sandwich-structured, non-full filled soliton lattice (SL) bands forming conduction channels, particularly a half-filled SL band under symmetric bias voltages.

Conclusions:

• The study elucidates a novel charge transport mechanism in conjugated polymers driven by delocalized SLWs.
• The formation of SL bands provides efficient conduction pathways.
• The findings offer a new perspective on charge dynamics in organic electronic materials.