Synthesis, photophysical and electrophosphorescent properties of fluorene-based platinum(II) complexes

A series of platinum(II) complexes bearing tridentate cyclometalated C^N^N (C^N^N=6-phenyl-2,2'-bipyridine and π-extended R-C^N^N=3-[6'-(naphthalen-2'-yl)pyridin-2'-yl]isoquinoline) ligands with fluorene units have been synthesised and their photophysical properties have been studied. The fluorene units are incorporated into the cyclometalated ligands by a Suzuki coupling reaction. An increase in the π-conjugation of the cyclometalated ligands confers favourable photophysical properties compared to the 6-phenyl-2,2'-bipyridine analogues. The fluorene-based platinum(II) complexes display vibronic-structured emission bands with λ(max)=558-601 nm, and high emission quantum yields up to 0.76 in degassed dichloromethane. Their emissions are tentatively assigned to excited states with mixed (3)IL/(3)MLCT parentage (IL=intraligand, MLCT=metal-to-ligand charge transfer). The crystal structures of these platinum(II) complexes reveal extensive Pt(II)···π and/or π-π interactions. The fluorene-based platinum(II) complexes are soluble in organic solvents, have high thermal stability with decomposition temperature >350 °C, and can be thermally vacuum-sublimed or solution-processed as phosphorescent dopants for the fabrication of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). A monochromic OLED with 3d as dopant (2 wt%) fabricated by vacuum deposition gave a current efficiency of 14.7 cd A(-1) and maximum brightness of 27000 cd m(-2). A high current efficiency (9.2 cd A(-1)) has been achieved in a solution-processed OLED using complex 3f (5 wt%) doped in a PVK (poly(9-vinylcarbazole)) host.     

Functionalized Alkynylplatinum(II) Polypyridyl Complexes for Use as Sensitizers in Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

A series of platinum(II) alkynyl‐based sensitizers has been synthesized and found to show light‐to‐electricity conversion properties. These dyes were developed as sensitizers for the application in nanocrystalline TiO₂ dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Their photophysical and electrochemical properties were studied. The excited‐state property was probed using nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, which showed the formation of a charge‐separated state that arises from the intramolecular photoinduced charge transfer from the platinum(II) alkynylbithienylbenzothiadiazole moiety (donor) to the polypyridyl ligand (acceptor). A lifetime of 3.4 μs was observed for the charge‐separated state. A dye‐sensitized solar cell based on one of the complexes showed a short‐circuit photocurrent of 7.12 mA cm^?2, an open circuit voltage of 780 mV, and a fill factor of 0.65, thus giving an overall power conversion efficiency of 3.6 %.     

A Time‐Resolved Spectroscopic Study of the Bichromophoric Phototrigger 3′,5′‐Dimethoxybenzoin Diethyl Phosphate: Interaction Between the Two Chromophores Determines the Reaction Pathway

3′,5′‐Dimethoxybenzoin (DMB) is a bichromophoric system that has widespread application as a highly efficient photoremovable protecting group (PRPG) for the release of diverse functional groups. The photodeprotection of DMB phototriggers is remarkably clean, and is accompanied by the formation of a biologically benign cyclization product, 3′,5′‐dimethoxybenzofuran (DMBF). The underlying mechanism of the DMB deprotection and cyclization has, however, until now remained unclear. Femtosecond transient absorption (fs‐TA) spectroscopy and nanosecond time‐resolved resonance Raman (ns‐TR³) spectroscopy were employed to detect the transient species directly, and examine the dynamic transformations involved in the primary photoreactions for DMB diethyl phosphate (DMBDP) in acetonitrile (CH₃CN). To assess the electronic character and the role played by the individual sub‐chromophore, that is, the benzoyl, and the di‐meta‐methoxybenzylic moieties, for the DMBDP deprotection, comparative fs‐TA measurements were also carried out for the reference compounds diethyl phosphate acetophenone (DPAP), and 3′,5′‐dimethoxybenzylic diethyl phosphate (DMBnDP) in the same solvent. Comparison of the fs‐TA spectra reveals that the photoexcited DMBDP exhibits distinctly different spectral character and dynamic evolution from those of the reference compounds. This fact, combined with the related steady‐state spectral and density functional theoretical results, strongly suggests the presence in DMBDP of a significant interaction between the two sub‐chromophores, and that this interaction plays a governing role in determining the nature of the photoexcitation and the reaction channel of the subsequent photophysical and photochemical transformations. The ns‐TR³ results and their correlation with the fs‐TA spectra and dynamics provide evidence for a novel concerted deprotection–cyclization mechanism for DMBDP in CH₃CN. By monitoring the direct generation of the transient DMBF product, the cyclization time constant was determined unequivocally to be ≈1 ns. This indicates that there is little relevance for the long‐lived intermediates (>10 ns) in giving the DMBF product, and excludes the stepwise mechanism proposed in the literature as the major pathway for the DMB cyclization reaction. This work provides important new insights into the origin of the 3′,5′‐dimethoxy substitution effect for the DMB photodeprotection. It also helps to clarify the many different views presented in previous mechanistic studies of the DMB PRPGs. In addition to this, our fs‐TA results on the reference compound DMBnDP in CH₃CN provide the first direct observation (to the best of our knowledge) showing the predominance of a prompt (≈2 ps) heterolytic bond cleavage after photoexcitation of meta‐methoxybenzylic compounds. This provides insight into the long‐term controversies about the photoinitiated dissociation mode of related substituted benzylic compounds.     

Properties of a vector soliton laser passively mode-locked by a fiber-based semiconductor saturable absorber operating in transmission

We experimentally demonstrate a passively mode-locked fiber laser employing a fiber-based semiconductor saturable absorber (SSA) operating in transmission. Polarization rotation locked vector solitons are observed in the laser. Due to the intrinsic dynamic feature of the laser, period-doubling of these vector solitons has also been observed. Furthermore, extra spectral sidebands are formed on the optical spectrum, caused by the energy exchange between the two orthogonal polarization components of the vector solitons. By careful reduction of the pump power together with fine adjustment to the cavity birefringence, period-one state can further be obtained. Additionally, the phase noise properties of the vector soliton fiber laser have also been characterized experimentally and analytically.     

Pulsed laser deposition of silicate phosphor thin films

Three types of silicate phosphor thin films, emitting in the red-green-blue (RGB) primary colors, were fabricated by pulsed laser deposition, including manganese and lead doped calcium silicate (CaSiO₃:MnPb) for red color, manganese doped zinc silicate (Zn₂SiO₄:Mn) for green color and cerium doped yttrium silicate (Y₂SiO₅:Ce) for blue color. A correlation was observed between photoluminescence intensity with film crystallinity and surface morphology. RGB phosphor thin films with excellent color saturation were obtained. Luminescence mechanisms for these phosphor thin films are discussed.