Photophysics of Fluorescent Contact Sensors Based on the Dicyanodihydrofuran Motif

Fluorescent molecular rotors have been used for measurements of local mobility on molecular length scales, for example to determine viscosity, and for the visualization of contact between two surfaces. In the present work, we deepen our insight into the excited-state deactivation kinetics and mechanics of dicyanodihydrofuran-based molecular rotors. We extend the scope of the use of this class of rotors for contact sensing with a red-shifted member of the family. This allows for contact detection with a range of excitation wavelengths up to ∼600 nm. Steady-state fluorescence shows that the fluorescence quantum yield of these rotors depends not only on the rigidity of their environment, but – under certain conditions – also on its polarity. While excited state decay via rotation about the exocyclic double bond is rapid in nonpolar solvents and twisting of a single bond allows for fast decay in polar solvents, the barriers for both processes are significant in solvents of intermediate polarity. This effect may also occur in other molecular rotors, and it should be considered when applying such molecules as local mobility probes.     

Transient spectroscopic characterization of the ring‐opening reaction of tetrahydrochromeno[2,3‐dimethyl]indole

Tetrahydrochromeno is a structural variant of spiropyran that undergoes a reversible ring‐opening to generate a colored nitrophenolate intermediate. Earlier work confirmed this intermediate through trimethylsilyl cyanide trapping under continuous irradiation. We have performed transient absorption spectroscopy to further characterize the mechanism of the ring‐opening reaction. Excitation at 355 nm produced a transient species with an absorption maximum at 445 nm, which we assign to the nitrophenolate unit of the ring‐opened product. The transient absorption decays after ~970 ns with small optical density changes corresponding to a 0.15 quantum yield. Exposure to oxygen did not exhibit a significant deleterious effect on the photoisomerization of the chromeno dye. Time‐dependent density functional theory corroborated spectroscopic assignments of the starting chromeno and the putative ring‐opened intermediate. The excited state behavior of this system parallels the structurally similar oxazine system reported by Raymo and coworkers. The one significant difference is the longer lifetime of the photochemically generated intermediate from chromeno. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spectral probing of carrier traps in Si–Ge alloy nanocrystals

Photogenerated carriers in Si–Ge alloy nanocrystals (NCs) prepared by co‐sputtering method were investigated by mean of transient induced absorption. The carrier relaxation features multiple components, with three decay life times of τ ≈ 600 fs, 12 ps, and 15 ns, established for Si_0.2Ge_0.8 alloy NCs of a mean crystal size of 9 nm and standard deviation of 3 nm. Deep carrier traps, identified at the boundary between the NCs and the SiO₂ host with the ionization energy of about 1 eV, are characterized by a long‐range Coulombic potential. These are responsible for rapid depletion of free carrier population within a few picoseconds after the excitation, which explains the low emissivity of the investigated materials, and also sheds light on the generally low luminescence of Si/Ge and Ge NCs. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A Molecular Photosensitizer in a Porous Block Copolymer Matrix-Implications for the Design of Photocatalytically Active Membranes

Recently, porous photocatalytically active block copolymer membranes were introduced, based on heterogenized molecular catalysts. Here, we report the integration of the photosensitizer, i. e., the light absorbing unit in an intermolecular photocatalytic system into block copolymer membranes in a covalent manner. We study the resulting structure and evaluate the orientational mobility of the photosensitizer as integral part of the photocatalytic system in such membranes. To this end we utilize transient absorption anisotropy, highlighting the temporal reorientation of the transition dipole moment probed in a femtosecond pump-probe experiment. Our findings indicate that the photosensitizer is rigidly bound to the polymer membrane and shows a large heterogeneity of absolute anisotropy values as a function of location probed within the matrix. This reflects the sample inhomogeneity arising from different protonation states of the photosensitizer and different intermolecular interactions of the photosensitizers within the block copolymer membrane scaffold.     

The Photophysics and Photochemistry of Melanin- Like Nanomaterials Depend on Morphology and Structure

Melanin-like nanomaterials have found application in a large variety of high economic and social impact fields as medicine, energy conversion and storage, photothermal catalysis and environmental remediation. These materials have been used mostly for their optical and electronic properties, but also for their high biocompatibility and simplicity and versatility of preparation. Beside this, their chemistry is complex and it yields structures with different molecular weight and composition ranging from oligomers, to polymers as well as nanoparticles (NP). The comprehension of the correlation of the different compositions and morphologies to the optical properties of melanin is still incomplete and challenging, even if it is fundamental also from a technological point of view. In this minireview we focus on scientific papers, mostly recent ones, that indeed examine the link between composition and structural feature and photophysical and photochemical properties proposing this approach as a general one for future research.     

Charge carrier decay and diffusion in organic–inorganic CH3NH3PbI3–xClx perovskite based solar cell

In recent years, organic–inorganic lead halides attracted widespread interest, mainly due to their impressive photoconversion properties and low‐cost solution processing. In this study, we employed small amplitude transient photovoltage and photocurrent spectroscopy to investigate charge transport and recombination properties of perovskite CH₃NH₃PbI_3–xCl_x solar cell under realistic light harvesting conditions (<1 sun). Cell structure resembles outlay commonly found in organic photovoltaics, with perovskite absorber being sandwiched between two thin layers of organic polymers. Tested device displayed high power conversion efficiency (10.3%), good fill factor and negligible hysteresis effect. Fundamental device parameters were characterized at various open‐circuit voltages (V_oc) by examination of small voltage and current perturbations created by the low intensity pulsed laser excitations. The obtained results exhibit long charge carrier lifetimes and fast charge transport over the full range of applied optical bias, as well as remarkable diffusion lengths exceeding 1 μm. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Light-Driven Crawling of Molecular Crystals by Phase-Dependent Transient Elastic Lattice Deformation

The light-driven crawling of a molecular crystal that can form three phases, (α, β, and γ) is presented. Laser irradiation of the molecular crystal can generate phase-dependent transient elastic lattice deformation. The resulting elastic lattice deformation that follows scanning irradiation of a laser can actuate the different phases of molecular crystal to move with different velocity and direction. Because the γ phase has a large Young's modulus (ca. 26 GPa), a force of 0.1 μN can be generated under one laser spot. The generated force is sufficient to actuate the γ-formed molecular crystals in a wide dimensional range to move longitudinally at a velocity of about 60 μm min⁻¹, which is two orders of magnitude faster than the α and β phases.     

侧链基团对聚合物薄膜瞬态发光性能的影响

采用飞秒激光光谱技术比较研究了两种卟啉侧链聚合物:卟啉丙烯酸酯-苯乙烯共聚物P[(por)A-S]和卟啉铁(Ⅲ)丙烯酸酯-苯乙烯共聚物P[(por)FeA-S]的瞬态发光性能。并采用纳秒激光光谱技术测量了小分子卟啉(TPP)的荧光动力学过程。结果表明:P[(por)FeA-S]具有比P[(por)A-S]快得多的荧光弛豫过程,而P[(por)A-S]的荧光寿命远小于小分子卟啉的荧光寿命。对上述过程进行了分析,P[(por)A-S]的荧光衰变主要来源于聚合物分子链间的相互作用;而P[(por)FeA-S]的荧光衰变除了来源于聚合物分子链间的相互作用外,中央金属离子与配位体之间的电荷转移也对卟啉发色基团的激发态超快无辐射弛豫具有重要的影响,对上述过程的产生机理进行了讨论。     

一维瞬态辐射传输的有限元法模拟

随着超短脉冲激光的快速发展,吸收散射性介质内的瞬态辐射传输引起了人们的广泛关注.本文基于离散坐标法和最小二乘有限元法(LSFEM),提出了模拟多维吸收散射性介质内瞬态辐射传输的数值模型.该模型有效地克服了在标准Galerkin有限元法(GFEM)中发生的伪振荡现象,在时间步长较大的情况下仍然可以得到光滑无振荡的解.而且,最小二乘法产生的求解系数矩阵是对称正定的,与GFEM中的系数矩阵相比,仅需要存储一半的非零系数,可以应用许多高效的迭代求解方法进行求解.为了检验模型,本文研究了一维吸收散射性介质内瞬态辐射传输问题,其结果与蒙特卡洛法(MCM)和积分模型法(IE)的结果进行了比较,结果证实:本文的方法可以精确、高效地模拟参与性介质内的瞬态辐射传输.     

探针移动速度对等离子体射流热流密度测量结果的影响

采用自行研制的中心嵌有铜柱感应件的小尺寸杆状热流探针,在低扰动条件下,对射入大气环境的纯氩层流等热离子体射流传向铜探头表面的热流密度进行了动态测量.结果表明,在射流最高温度16500 K、最大轴向速度850 m/s、探针垂直于射流流动方向的移动速度130～260 mm/s的实验参数范围内,随着探针移动速度的提高,测得的热流密度值减小;射流温度和速度越高,探针移动速度对热流密度测量值的影响越大.