Quantum chemistry study on internal conversion of diphenyldibenzofulvene in solid phase

We investigate the nonradiative decay process of diphenyldibenzofulvene (DPDBF) in solid phase by using the quantum chemistry methods. To carry out the nonradiative rate constant calculation, we construct a solid phase model based on the ONIOM method. The geometry of the DPDBF molecule is optimized for the ground state by DFT and the first excited state by TD-DFT, and the corresponding vibrational frequencies and normal coordinates are computed. Under displaced-distorted harmonic oscillator potential approximation, Huang-Rhys factors are obtained. Vibronic coupling constants are calculated as a function of the normal mode based on Domcke's scheme. We find that vibronic coupling constants of 12 modes with large reorganization energies are of similar order, and if this result is still valid for other modes, the internal conversion rate would be determined by high frequency modes because they have a significant nuclear factor that is related to Franck-Condon overlap intergrals. We also find that geometrical changes are suppressed due to the stacking effect, which yields small Huang-Rhys values in the solid phase.