Ultrafast Dephasing of Photoexcited Polarons in Primary Doped Polyaniline

Ultrafast dynamics of polarons in conductive polyaniline: comparison of primary and secondary doped forms

Time- and wavelength-resolved pump-probe measurements are performed on the conductive, primary and secondary doped, forms of polyaniline in solution to investigate the relaxation dynamics of photoexcited polarons. Contrasting dynamics observed in the two forms allow investigation of electronic (and structural) relaxation of this material. Pump pulse at 800 nm photoexcites an electron from the valence to polaron band, and subsequent relaxation dynamics are probed by a white light continuum pulse. Three distinct features are observed in the primary doped sample: (1) absorption near time zero in the 900-1025 nm probe wavelength region; (2) delayed absorption from 850 to 1025 nm; (3) pronounced oscillations with frequencies of 165 and 210 cm(-1). The first two features are associated with intraband absorptions to higher-lying states in the polaron band from the initial excited and conformationally changed intermediate states. The oscillations reflect torsional motions associated with photoexcitation and relaxation. In the secondary doped material, only bleaching and stimulated emission are observed throughout the whole spectral region; neither transient absorption signals nor oscillatory dynamics are observed. Kinetic modeling is performed to establish the mechanism of relaxation. We propose that the excited polaron relaxes nonradiatively to the ground state through an intermediate state(s) with a twisted geometry. Our measurements and analysis allow us to describe the structure of the polaron bands for primary and secondary doped polyaniline; they are in the small and large polaron limits, respectively, and are consistent with a bandgap for the primary doped form and without a bandgap (i.e., metallic) for the secondary doped material.

Femtosecond Fluorescence Studies of Self-Assembled Helical Aggregates in Solution

For the diamino-bipyridine based C(3)-symmetrical disk molecule, TAB, (sub)picosecond fluorescence transients have been observed by means of femtosecond fluorescence upconversion and picosecond time-correlated photon counting techniques. The dodecyl peripheral side chains of the synthetic compound are large enough to allow, in apolar solvents, self-assembling of the discotic molecules to helical aggregates. In polar solvents, the hydrogen bonding and pi-pi interactions pertaining to the chiral aggregation are compensated by solvation and self-assembling of the disklike molecules is disrupted. For comparison, time-resolved fluorescence measurements have been performed for the subgroup molecule, DAC, which is the (asymmetric) building block for TAB. It is concluded that, after pulsed photoexcitation, TAB and DAC exhibit excited-state intramolecular double proton transfer (ESIDPT) with a typical time of approximately 200-300 fs, irrespective of the degree of aggregation. Picosecond components in the fluorescence of TAB and DAC, ranging from 3 to 25 ps, are representative of vibrational cooling effects in the excited product state. Only aggregated TAB shows a rapid ( approximately 1 ps) decay of its fluorescence anisotropy. This component is attributed to excited-state energy transfer within the aggregate. Finally, the excited-state lifetime of TAB in the aggregated form is found to be an order of magnitude longer than that for TAB in its nonaggregated form. It is inferred that aggregation diminishes the influence of low-frequency twisting motions in the radiationless decay of the excited state.

Polaron Delocalization in Ladder Macromolecular Systems

Organic macromolecules with conjugated building blocks have been the focus of extensive research that is motivated, in part, by the potential to create optical and electronic devices. We have shown that palladium-catalyzed amination can assemble triarylamine ladder materials with extended structures. Two ladder macromolecules have been prepared in high yields by a series of twelve or sixteen C-N coupling reactions. Studies of the electronic and optical properties of neutral and oxidized forms of the ladder structures were conducted. The optical and electronic properties of the ladder systems are compared to those of the linear tetra-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine as well as the tetra-p-anisyl-p-tetraazacyclophane. The electrochemistry of the ladder systems consists of a multiwave voltammogram with a relatively low first oxidation potential. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of the ladder systems suggests the presence of a large density of delocalized polarons. Linear absorption measurements of the chemically oxidized ladders revealed both polaron and intervalence absorption bands. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements were also carried out to characterize the dynamics in these novel systems.