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At least 163 records · Page 9

Effects of HAT-CN Layer Thickness on Molecular Orientation and Energy-Level Alignment with ZnPc

Efficient energy-level alignment is crucial for achieving high performance in organic electronic devices. Because the electronic structure of an organic semiconductor is significantly influenced by its molecular orientation, comprehensively understanding the molecular orientation and electronic structure of the organic layer is essential. In this study, we investigated the interface between a 1,4,5,8,9,11-hexaazatriphenylene hexacarbonitrile (HAT-CN) hole injection layer and a zinc-phthalocyanine (ZnPc) p-type organic semiconductor. To determine the energy-level alignment and molecular orientation, we conducted in situ ultraviolet and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies, as well as angle-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy. We found that the HAT-CN molecules were oriented relatively face-on (40°) in the thin (5 nm) layer, whereas they were oriented relatively edge-on (62°) in the thick (100 nm) layer. By contrast, ZnPc orientation was not significantly altered by the underlying HAT-CN orientation. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level of ZnPc was closer to the Fermi level on the 100 nm thick HAT-CN layer than on the 5 nm thick HAT-CN layer because of the higher work function. Consequently, a considerably low energy gap between the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level of HAT-CN and the HOMO level of ZnPc was formed in the 100 nm thick HAT-CN case. This may improve the hole injection ability of the anode system, which can be utilized in various electronic devices.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Semi-Empirical Shadow Molecular Dynamics: A PyTorch Implementation

Here, extended Lagrangian Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics (XL-BOMD) in its most recent shadow potential energy version has been implemented in the semiempirical PyTorch-based software PySeQM. The implementation includes finite electronic temperatures, canonical density matrix perturbation theory, and an adaptive Krylov subspace approximation for the integration of the electronic equations of motion within the XL-BOMB approach (KSA-XL-BOMD). The PyTorch implementation leverages the use of GPU and machine learning hardware accelerators for the simulations. The new XL-BOMD formulation allows studying more challenging chemical systems with charge instabilities and low electronic energy gaps. The current public release of PySeQM continues our development of modular architecture for large-scale simulations employing semi-empirical quantum-mechanical treatment. Applied to molecular dynamics, simulation of 840 carbon atoms, one integration time step executes in 4 s on a single Nvidia RTX A6000 GPU.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Synthesis of 2D layered transition metal (Ni, Co) hydroxides via edge-on condensation

Abstract Layered transition metal hydroxides (LTMHs) with transition metal centers sandwiched between layers of coordinating hydroxide anions have attracted considerable interest for their potential in developing clean energy sources and storage technologies. However, two-dimensional (2D) LTMHs remain largely understudied in terms of physical properties and applications in electronic devices. Here, for the first time we report > 20 μm α-Ni(OH) 2 2D crystals, synthesized from hydrothermal reaction. And an edge-on condensation mechanism assisted with the crystal field geometry is proposed to understand the 2D intra-planar growth of the crystals, which is also testified through series of systematic comparative studies. We also report the successful synthesis of 2D Co(OH) 2 crystals (> 40 μm) with more irregular shape due to the slightly distorted octahedral geometry of the crystal field. Moreover, the detailed structural characterization of synthesized α-Ni(OH) 2 are performed. The optical band gap energy is extrapolated as 2.54 eV from optical absorption measurements and the electronic bandgap is measured as 2.52 eV from reflected electrons energy loss spectroscopy (REELS). We further demonstrate its potential as a wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor for high voltage operation in 2D electronics with a high breakdown strength, 4.77 MV/cm with 4.9 nm thickness. The successful realization of the 2D LTMHs opens the door for future exploration of more fundamental physical properties and device applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

The Effect of Geometry, Spin, and Orbital Optimization in Achieving Accurate, Correlated Results for Iron–Sulfur Cubanes

Iron–sulfur clusters comprise an important functional motif in the catalytic centers of biological systems, capable of enabling important chemical transformations at ambient conditions. This remarkable capability derives from a notoriously complex electronic structure that is characterized by a high density of states that is sensitive to geometric changes. The spectral sensitivity to subtle geometric changes has received little attention from correlated, large active space calculations, owing partly to the exceptional computational complexity for treating these large and correlated systems accurately. Here, to provide insight into this aspect, we report the first Complete Active Space Self Consistent Field (CASSCF) calculations for different geometries of the [Fe(II/III) 4 S 4 (SMe) 4 ] -2 clusters using two complementary, correlated solvers: spin-pure Adaptive Sampling Configuration Interaction (ASCI) and Density Matrix Renormalization Group (DMRG). We find that the previously established picture of a double-exchange driven magnetic structure, with minute energy gaps (<1 mHa) between consecutive spin states, has a weak dependence on the underlying geometry. However, the spin gap between the singlet and the spin state 2S + 1 = 19, corresponding to a maximal number of Fe-d electrons being unpaired and of parallel spin, is strongly geometry dependent, changing by a factor of 3 upon slight deformations that are still within biologically relevant parameters. The CASSCF orbital optimization procedure, using active spaces as large as 86 electrons in 52 orbitals, was found to reduce this gap compared to typical mean-field orbital approaches. Our results show the need for performing large active space calculations to unveil the challenging electronic structure of these complex catalytic centers and should serve as accurate starting points for fully correlated treatments upon inclusion of dynamical correlation outside the active space.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Low-Density Parity-Check Stabilizer Codes as Gapped Quantum Phases: Stability under Graph-Local Perturbations

We generalize the proof of stability of topological order, due to Bravyi, Hastings, and Michalakis, to stabilizer Hamiltonians corresponding to low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes without the restriction of geometric locality in Euclidean space. We consider Hamiltonians 𝐻 0 defined by ⟦𝑁,𝐾,𝑑⟧ LDPC codes, which obey certain topological quantum order conditions: (i) code distance 𝑑 ≥ 𝑐⁢log (𝑁), implying local indistinguishability of ground states, and (ii) a mild condition on local and global compatibility of ground states—these include good quantum LDPC codes and the toric code on a hyperbolic lattice, among others. We consider stability under weak perturbations that are quasilocal on the interaction graph defined by 𝐻 0 and that can be represented as sums of bounded-norm terms. As long as the local perturbation strength is smaller than a finite constant, we show that the perturbed Hamiltonian has well-defined spectral bands originating from the 𝑂⁡(1) smallest eigenvalues of 𝐻 0 . The band originating from the smallest eigenvalue has 2 𝐾 states, is separated from the rest of the spectrum by a finite energy gap, and has exponentially narrow bandwidth 𝛿 =𝐶⁢𝑁⁢𝑒 −Θ⁡(𝑑) , which is tighter than the best-known bounds even in the Euclidean case. We also obtain that the new ground-state subspace is related to the initial-code subspace by a quasilocal unitary, allowing one to relate their physical properties. Our proof uses an iterative procedure that performs successive rotations to eliminate non-frustration-free terms in the Hamiltonian. Our results extend to quantum Hamiltonians built from classical LDPC codes, which give rise to stable symmetry-breaking phases. These results show that LDPC codes very generally define stable gapped quantum phases, even in the non-Euclidean setting, initiating a systematic study of such phases of matter.

mathematical physics↗

Two-dimensional electronic–vibrational spectroscopy: Exploring the interplay of electrons and nuclei in excited state molecular dynamics

Two-dimensional electronic-vibrational spectroscopy (2DEVS) is an emerging spectroscopic technique which exploits two different frequency ranges for the excitation (visible) and detection (infrared) axes of a 2D spectrum. In contrast to degenerate 2D techniques, such as 2D electronic or 2D infrared spectroscopy, the spectral features of a 2DEV spectrum report cross correlations between fluctuating electronic and vibrational energy gaps rather than autocorrelations as in the degenerate spectroscopies. The center line slope of the spectral features reports on this cross correlation function directly and can reveal specific electronic-vibrational couplings and rapid changes in the electronic structure, for example. The involvement of the two types of transition moments, visible and infrared, makes 2DEVS very sensitive to electronic and vibronic mixing. 2DEV spectra also feature improved spectral resolution, making the method valuable for unraveling the highly congested spectra of molecular complexes. The unique features of 2DEVS are illustrated in this paper with specific examples and their origin described at an intuitive level with references to formal derivations provided. Although early in its development and far from fully explored, 2DEVS has already proven to be a valuable addition to the tool box of ultrafast nonlinear optical spectroscopy and is of promising potential in future efforts to explore the intricate connection between electronic and vibrational nuclear degrees of freedom in energy and charge transport applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Quantum Ratcheted Photophysics in Energy Transport

In this paper, we explore the scope of vibrations as quantum ratchets that serve as nonthermal routes to achieving population transport in systems where excitation transport between molecules is otherwise energetically unfavorable. In addition to their role as channels of transport, we investigate the effect of resonance of the vibrations, which are described by Huang-Rhys mixing, with excitonic energy gaps, which leads to strongly mixed vibronic excitons. Finally, we explore the interplay of resonance and Huang-Rhys mixing with electronic coupling between the molecules, in the presence of a dissipative bath, in optimizing transport in such systems. Furthermore, we find that while resonance is desirable, a moderate electronic coupling has a stronger positive effect in contrast to a large electronic coupling, which results in delocalized excitations across molecules and hampers unidirectional transport. We also report a special resonance regime that is able to circumvent the transport problems arising from large electronic couplings.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Plasmons in Z 2 topological insulators

Here, we study plasmonic excitations in the Kane-Mele model, a two-dimensional Z 2 topological insulator on the honeycomb lattice, using the random phase approximation (RPA). In the topologically nontrivial phase, the model has conducting edge states that traverse the bulk energy gap and display spin-momentum locking. Such a state of matter is called the quantum spin hall (QSH) phase, which is robust against time-reversal (TR) invariant perturbations. We find that in the QSH phase, gapless spin-polarized plasmons can be excited on the edges of the system. The propagation of these plasmons is chiral for each individual spin component and shows spin-momentum locking for both spin components on the same edge. Moreover, we study the effect of external magnetic fields on the gapless edge plasmons. Specifically, out-of-plane magnetic fields delocalize edge plasmons propagating in one direction without affecting the other one, while an in-plane magnetic field can be applied to selectively excite a specific spin-plasmon branch with proper doping or gating to the system. Our findings may have potential applications in novel plasmonic and spintronic devices. We also investigate plasmons in the Kane-Mele model on a finite-sized diamond-shaped nanoflake and observe low-energy plasmons circulating the boundary of the material.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Mechanically robust and superior conductive n-type polymer binders for high-performance micro-silicon anodes in lithium-ion batteries

Compared with nanostructured silicon (Si), the Si microparticle (SiMP) has more commercial prospects due to its low cost. However, SiMPs suffer from unavoidable fracture during electrochemical cycling owing to their significant volume change. Here we develop a series of novel n-type conductive polymer binders (CPBs) for SiMP anodes in lithium-ion batteries owing to their superior properties. Extraordinary electrochemical performance of cells with such unique binders could be achieved, which is because these designed polymers contain electron-withdrawing oxadiazole ring groups and easily ionizable sulfonate polar groups, exhibiting excellent ionic conductivity, outstanding wettability to the electrolyte, and improved electronic conductivity after doping. Moreover, the coexistence of rigid and flexible chains enables them to have exceptional strength and ductility. Besides, a unique electrochromic approach has been utilized to investigate the energy gap of the CPBs in n-doping states. The ionic and electronic conductivities of prepared CPBs in an eigenstate and n-doping state have been systematically studied by the electrochemical method, filling the current research gap in this field. Due to the high conductivity of b-POD, the capacity of SiMPs (4200 mA h g –1 ) can be almost entirely released during the first cycle of discharge, while the SiMP anodes prepared with the PAALi or CMC binder show a much lower initial capacity. Here, the high conductivity of b-POD also endows it with better cycling performance than non-conductive binders especially at high current densities, demonstrating its excellent fast-charging ability. More essentially, this work provides polymer binders without any intricate structural designs to obtain high-performance SiMP batteries, significantly enhancing their practical applications.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Efficient simulation of open quantum systems coupled to a reservoir through multiple channels

It is challenging to simulate open quantum systems that are connected to a reservoir through multiple channels. For example, vibrations may induce fluctuations in both energy gaps and electronic couplings, which represent two independent channels of system–bath couplings. Systems of this kind are ubiquitous in the processes of excited state radiationless decay. Combined with density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) and matrix product states (MPS) methods, we develop an interaction-picture chain mapping strategy for vibrational reservoirs to simulate the dynamics of these open systems, resulting in time-dependent spatially local system–bath couplings in the chain-mapped Hamiltonian. This transformation causes the entanglement generated by the system–bath interactions to be restricted within a narrow frequency window of vibrational modes, enabling efficient DMRG/MPS dynamical simulations. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by simulating singlet fission dynamics using a generalized spin-boson Hamiltonian with both diagonal and off-diagonal system–bath couplings. This approach generalizes an earlier interaction-picture chain mapping scheme, allowing for efficient and exact simulation of systems with multi-channel system–bath couplings using matrix product states, which may further our understanding of nonlocal exciton–phonon couplings in exciton transport and the non-Condon effect in energy and electron transfer.

Chemistry↗

Quinonoid versus Aromatic π-Conjugated Oligomers and Polymers and Their Diradical Characters

Quinonoid elements in π-conjugated oligomers and polymers have promising characteristics by providing unique structures and electronic properties, including varying degrees of ground state open shell diradical character and small band gaps. So far, quinonoid ground state polymers were rarely identified, and one of the goals of this work was to expand the portfolio of such systems in which over 17 different repeat units were considered, about half preferred a quinonoid and half preferred aromatic structures plus several with the alternating A-Q composition were also included. The dependency of the diradical character as a function of size and composition opens a rich space to discover trends affecting the aromaticity and diradical character. Herein, we show that the diradical character is a useful parameter to classify a wide variety of polymers based on their ground states in a systematic study of a large number of homo- and heterosystems. Homo-polymers with quinonoid ground states show a high diradical character, while those with the aromatic ground state behave as closed-shell systems with no or a very small diradical character. The diradical character of quinonoid systems depends strongly on the size, which increases with the size of the oligomer. Here, we found a correlation between the diradical character and the interring C–C distance as well as the singlet–triplet energy gaps. In alternating copolymers mixing quinonoid and aromatic subunits, we found open-shell hetero-polymers with moderate to high diradical characters.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

A Donor–Acceptor [2]Catenane for Visible Light Photocatalysis

Colored charge-transfer complexes can be formed by the association between electron-rich donor and electron-deficient acceptor molecules, bringing about the narrowing of HOMO–LUMO energy gaps so that they become capable of harnessing visible light. In an effort to facilitate the use of these widespread, but nonetheless weak, interactions for visible light photocatalysis, it is important to render the interactions strong and robust. Furthermore, we employ a well-known donor–acceptor [2]catenane—formed by the mechanical interlocking of cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) and 1,5-dinaphtho[38]crown-10—in which the charge-transfer interactions between two 4,4'-bipyridinium and two 1,5-dioxynaphthalene units are enhanced by mechanical bonding, leading to increased absorption of visible light, even at low concentrations in solution. As a result, since this [2]catenane can generate persistent bipyridinium radical cations under continuous visible-light irradiation without the need for additional photosensitizers, it can display good catalytic activity in both photo-reductions and -oxidations, as demonstrated by hydrogen production—in the presence of platinum nanoparticles—and aerobic oxidation of organic sulfides, such as l-methionine, respectively. This research, which highlights the usefulness of nanoconfinement present in mechanically interlocked molecules for the reinforcement of weak interactions, can not only expand the potential of charge-transfer interactions in solar energy conversion and synthetic photocatalysis but also open up new possibilities for the development of active artificial molecular shuttles, switches, and machines.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Three-state harmonic models for photoinduced charge transfer

A widely used strategy for simulating the charge transfer between donor and acceptor electronic states in an all-atom anharmonic condensedphase system is based on invoking linear response theory to describe the system in terms of an effective spin-boson model Hamiltonian. Extending this strategy to photoinduced charge transfer processes requires also taking into consideration the ground electronic state in addition to the excited donor and acceptor electronic states. In this paper, we revisit the problem of describing such nonequilibrium processes in terms of an effective three-state harmonic model. We do so within the framework of nonequilibrium Fermi’s golden rule (NE-FGR) in the context of photoinduced charge transfer in the carotenoid–porphyrin–C 60 (CPC 60 ) molecular triad dissolved in explicit tetrahydrofuran (THF). To this end, we consider different ways for obtaining a three-state harmonic model from the equilibrium autocorrelation functions of the donor–acceptor, donor–ground, and acceptor–ground energy gaps, as obtained from all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of the CPC 60 /THF system. The quantum-mechanically exact time-dependent NE-FGR rate coefficients for two different charge transfer processes in two different triad conformations are then calculated using the effective three-state model Hamiltonians as well as a hierarchy of more approximate expressions that lead to the instantaneous Marcus theory limit. Our results show that the photoinduced charge transfer in CPC 60 /THF can be described accurately by the effective harmonic three-state models and that nuclear quantum effects are small in this system.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Color-neutral, semitransparent organic photovoltaics for power window applications

Semitransparent organic photovoltaic cells (ST-OPVs) are emerging as a solution for solar energy harvesting on building facades, rooftops, and windows. However, the trade-off between power-conversion efficiency (PCE) and the average photopic transmission (APT) in color-neutral devices limits their utility as attractive, power-generating windows. A color-neutral ST-OPV is demonstrated by using a transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) anode along with a narrow energy gap nonfullerene acceptor near-infrared (NIR) absorbing cell and outcoupling (OC) coatings on the exit surface. The device exhibits PCE = 8.1 ± 0.3% and APT = 43.3 ± 1.2% that combine to achieve a light-utilization efficiency of LUE = 3.5 ± 0.1%. Commission Internationale d’eclairage chromaticity coordinates of (0.38, 0.39), a color-rendering index of 86, and a correlated color temperature of 4,143 K are obtained for simulated AM1.5 illumination transmitted through the cell. Using an ultrathin metal anode in place of ITO, we demonstrate a slightly green-tinted ST-OPV with PCE = 10.8 ± 0.5% and APT = 45.7 ± 2.1% yielding LUE = 5.0 ± 0.3% These results indicate that ST-OPVs can combine both efficiency and color neutrality in a single device.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Optical control of orbital magnetism in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene

Flat bands in twisted graphene structures host various strongly correlated and topological phenomena. Optically probing and controlling them can reveal important information such as symmetry and dynamics, but this has been challenging due to the small energy gap compared with optical wavelengths. Here, in this study, we report on the near-infrared optical control of orbital magnetism and associated anomalous Hall effects in a magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene on a monolayer WSe 2 device. We demonstrate control over the hysteresis and amplitude of the anomalous Hall effect near integer moiré fillings using circularly polarized light. By modulating the light helicity, we observe periodic modulation of the transverse resistance in a wide range of fillings, indicating light-induced orbital magnetization through a large inverse Faraday effect. At the transition between metallic and anomalous Hall effect regimes, we also reveal large and random switching of the Hall resistivity, which we attribute to the light-tuned percolating cluster of magnetic domains. Our results demonstrate the potential of the optical manipulation of correlation and topology in moiré structures.

Persky, Eylon [Stanford Univ., CA (United States);↗

Precision Synthesis of Conjugated Polymer Films by Surface-Confined Stepwise Sonogashira Cross-Coupling

Thin films of poly(arylene ethynylene)-conjugated polymers, including low-energy-gap donor–acceptor polymers, can be prepared via stepwise polymerization utilizing surface-confined Sonogashira cross-coupling. This robust and efficient polymerization protocol yields conjugated polymers with a precise molecular structure and with nanometer-level control of the organization and the uniform alignment of the macromolecular chains in the densely packed film. In addition to high stability and predictable and well-defined molecular organization and morphology, the surface-confined conjugated polymer chains experience significant interchain electronic interactions, resulting in dominating intermolecular π-electron delocalization which is primarily responsible for the electronic and spectroscopic properties of polymer films. The fluorescent films demonstrate remarkable performance in chemosensing applications, showing a turn-off fluorescent response on the sub-ppt (part per trillion) level of nitroaromatic explosives in water. This unique sensitivity is likely related to the enhanced exciton mobility in the uniformly aligned and structurally monodisperse polymer films.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Voltage-dependent excitation dynamics in UV-absorbing organic photovoltaics with efficient charge transfer exciton emission

Intermolecular charge-transfer excitons play a central role in determining the performance of organic solar cells as their voltage-dependent formation, dissociation, and recombination dynamics contribute to photocurrent generation, radiative/nonradiative voltage losses, and photovoltaic fill factor. Here, we explore the properties of brightly-emitting wide energy gap (>2 eV) charge transfer excitons by measuring the voltage-dependent photoluminescence, photocurrent, and ultrafast pump–probe transient absorption spectra of organic solar cells employing five UV-absorbing donor molecules that differ only by the length of the oligophenylene or acene group at their core. We find that organic solar cells with a strong correlation between their voltage-dependent photocurrent and charge-transfer exciton photoluminescence have low photovoltaic fill factors as they require voltage to facilitate efficient charge-transfer exciton dissociation. In contrast, solar cells that are efficient can readily generate charges without an applied field and have a separate population of tightly-bound charge-transfer excitons that are responsible for emission. Furthermore, considering that the sum of all excitation loss rates (i.e., recombination and charge extraction) must be equal to the excitation generation rate in the steady state, these voltage-dependent data allow us to solve for the voltage-dependent fate of all excitations in the solar cells and estimate upper and lower bounds for geminate and non-geminate recombination, respectively.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

The interplay of excitonic delocalization and vibrational localization in optical lineshapes: A variational polaron approach

The dynamics of molecular excitonic systems are complicated by a competition between electronic coupling (which drives delocalization) and vibrational-electronic (vibronic) interactions (which tend to encourage electronic localization). A particular challenge of molecular systems is that they typically possess a large number of independent vibrations, with frequencies often spanning the entire spectrum of relevant electronic energy gaps. Recent spectroscopic observations and numerical simulations on a water-soluble chlorophyll-binding protein (WSCP) reveal a transition between two regimes of vibronic behavior, a Redfield-like regime in which low-frequency vibrations respond to a delocalized excitonic state, and a Förster-like regime where high-frequency vibrations act as incoherent excitations on individual pigments. Although numerical simulations can reproduce these effects, there is a need for a simple, systematic theory that accurately describes the smooth transition between these two regimes in experimental spectra. Here we address this challenge by generalizing the variational polaron transform approach of [Bloemsma et al., Chem. Phys. 481, 250 (2016)] to include arbitrary bath densities for systems with or without symmetry. We benchmark this theory against both numerical matrix-diagonalization methods and experimental 77 K fluorescence spectra for two WSCP variants, obtaining quite satisfactory agreement in both cases. Here, we apply this theory to offer an explanation for the large loss in apparent electronic coupling in the WSCP Q57K mutant and to examine the likely impact of the interplay between excitonic delocalization and vibrational localization on vibrational sideband shapes and apparent coupling strengths in high-resolution optical spectra for chlorophyll-protein complexes such as WSCP.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗