Zhigang Shuai

Electronic Structure and Carrier Mobility in Graphdiyne Sheet and Nanoribbons: Theoretical Predictions

Using density functional theory coupled with Boltzmann transport equation with relaxation time approximation, we investigate the electronic structure and predict the charge mobility for a new carbon allotrope, the graphdiyne for both the sheet and nanoribbons. It is shown that the graphdiyne sheet is a semiconductor with a band gap of 0.46 eV. The calculated in-plane intrinsic electron mobility can reach the order of 10(5) cm(2)/(V s) at room temperature, while the hole mobility is about an order of magnitude lower.

Role of Dimensionality on the Two‐Photon Absorption Response of Conjugated Molecules: The Case of Octupolar Compounds

A comparative study of the two-photon absorption (TPA) properties of octupolar compounds and their dipolar one-dimensional counterparts is presented on the basis of correlated quantum-chemical calculations. The roles of dimensionality and symmetry are first discussed on the basis of a simple exciton picture where the ground-state and excited-state wavefunctions of three-arm octupolar systems are built from a linear combination of the corresponding single-arm wavefunctions. This model predicts a factor of 3 increase in the TPA cross section in the limiting case of three independent charge-transfer pathways. When taking into account the full chemical structures of representative octupolar molecules, the results of the calculations indicate that a much larger enhancement associated with an increase in dimensionality and delocalization can be achieved when the core of the chromophore allows significant electronic coupling among the individual arms. These theoretical predictions are in agreement with the experimental determination of the TPA cross sections for crystal violet and the related compound, brilliant green, and suggest new strategies for the design of conjugated materials with large TPA cross sections.

Tunable Band Gap Photoluminescence from Atomically Thin Transition-Metal Dichalcogenide Alloys

Band gap engineering of atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) materials is the key to their applications in nanoelectronics, optoelectronics, and photonics. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate that in the 2D system, by alloying two materials with different band gaps (MoS2 and WS2), tunable band gap can be obtained in the 2D alloys (Mo(1-x)W(x)S(2) monolayers, x = 0-1). Atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy has revealed random arrangement of Mo and W atoms in the Mo(1-x)W(x)S(2) monolayer alloys. Photoluminescence characterization has shown tunable band gap emission continuously tuned from 1.82 eV (reached at x = 0.20) to 1.99 eV (reached at x = 1). Further, density functional theory calculations have been carried out to understand the composition-dependent electronic structures of Mo(1-x)W(x)S(2) monolayer alloys.

Charge Separation in Localized and Delocalized Electronic States in Polymeric Semiconductors

Conjugated polymers such as poly(p-phenylene vinylene)s (PPVs) allow low-cost fabrication of thin semiconducting films by solution processing onto substrates. Several polymeric optoelectronic devices have been developed in recent years, including field-effect transistors, light-emitting diodes, photocells, and lasers. It is still not clear, however, whether the description of electronic excitations in these materials is most appropriately formulated within a molecular or semiconductor (band-theory) picture. In the former case, excited states are localized and are described as excitons; in the latter they are delocalized and described as free electron–hole pairs. Here we report studies of the electronic states associated with optical excitations in the visible and ultraviolet range for the conjugated polymer poly(2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethyl-hexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene) (MEH-PPV), by means of photocurrent measurements and quantum-chemical calculations. We find several photocurrent spectral features between 3 and 5 eV which are coupled with bands in the absorption spectrum. On modelling the excited states in this energy range, we have discovered an important feature that is likely to be general for materials composed of coupled molecular units: that mixing of delocalized conduction- and valence-band states with states localized on the molecular units produces a sequence of excited states in which positive and negative charges can be separated further at higher energies. In other words, these excited states facilitate charge separation, and provide a conceptual bridge between the molecular (localized) and semiconductor (delocalized) pictures.

First-principles prediction of charge mobility in carbon and organic nanomaterials

We summarize our recent progresses in developing first-principles methods for predicting the intrinsic charge mobility in carbon and organic nanomaterials, within the framework of Boltzmann transport theory and relaxation time approximation. The electron-phonon couplings are described by Bardeen and Shockleys deformation potential theory, namely delocalized electrons scattered by longitudinal acoustic phonons as modeled by uniform lattice dilation. We have applied such methodology to calculating the charge carrier mobilities of graphene and graphdiyne, both sheets and nanoribbons, as well as closely packed organic crystals. The intrinsic charge carrier mobilities for graphene sheet and naphthalene are calculated to be 3 × 10(5) and ∼60 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) respectively at room temperature, in reasonable agreement with previous studies. We also present some new theoretical results for the recently discovered organic electronic materials, diacene-fused thienothiophenes, for which the charge carrier mobilities are predicted to be around 100 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1).

Theoretical predictions of size-dependent carrier mobility and polarity in graphene.

First-principles density functional theory coupled with deformation potential calculations indicate a strong width-dependent carrier mobility: for an armchair graphene ribbon whose width (i.e., number of carbons along the edge) is N = 3k, the room-temperature electron mobility is calculated to be approximately 10(6) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and the hole mobility approximately 10(4) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), while for N = 3k + 1 or 3k + 2, the hole mobility is calculated to be 4-8 x 10(5) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and the electron mobility approximately 10(4) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). Such alternating behavior is absent in zigzag-type graphene.

Theoretical modelling of carrier transports in molecular semiconductors: molecular design of triphenylamine dimer systems.

Charge transport in molecular systems and biosystems can be different from that in inorganic, rigid semiconductors. The electron-nuclear motion couplings play an important role in the former case. We have developed a theoretical scheme to employ the Marcus electron transfer theory coupled with a direct diabatic dimer model and the Brownian diffusion assumption to predict the carrier mobility for molecular materials. For triphenylamine, a typical molecular transport material, the design strategies regarding the formation a cyclic or a linear dimer are evaluated from theoretical calculations for the carrier mobility. We made a comparison between the mobility and the electrical polarizability. It is found that in the case of triphenylamine dimer, these two quantities have different trends. The fact that the macrocycle possesses higher mobility but lower polarizability than the linear chain is due to the difference in the reorganization energy. The theoretical predicted temperature dependences are analysed within the hopping mechanism. The calculated room-temperature mobilities are in reasonable agreement with experimental values.

Improving the efficiency of solution processable organic photovoltaic devices by a star-shaped molecular geometry

A new solution processable star-shaped organic molecule S(TPA-BT) has been synthesized for application in organic solar cells (OSCs). The properties and structures of S(TPA-BT) and a related linear molecule L(TPA-BT) were studied, including UV-visible spectroscopy, hole charge mobility, and theoretical calculated geometry and electronic properties. S(TPA-BT) film shows a broader and stronger absorption band in the range of 440–670 nm, lower band gap of 1.86 eV, higher hole mobility of 4.71 × 10−5 cm2V−1 s−1 and better film-forming properties compared with those of L(TPA-BT) film. ITO/PEDOT:PSS/S(TPA-BT) or L(TPA-BT):PCBM/Ba/Al bulk-heterojunction OSCs were fabricated with S(TPA-BT) or L(TPA-BT) as donor material. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of an OSC based on a blend of S(TPA-BT) and PCBM (1 : 3, w/w) reached 1.33% under A.M. 1.5 illumination, 100 mW cm−2, with a short-circuit current density (JSC) of 4.18 mA cm−2, an open circuit voltage of 0.81 V, and a fill factor of 39%. The PCE of 1.33% and Jsc of 4.18 mA cm−2 are among the highest values reported so far for solution processable OSCs.

Theory of Excited State Decays and Optical Spectra: Application to Polyatomic Molecules

General formalism of absorption and emission spectra, and of radiative and nonradiative decay rates are derived using a thermal vibration correlation function formalism for the transition between two adiabatic electronic states in polyatomic molecules. Displacements, distortions, and Duschinsky rotation of potential energy surfaces are included within the framework of a multidimensional harmonic oscillator model. The Herzberg-Teller (HT) effect is also taken into account. This formalism gives a reliable description of the Q(x) spectral band of free-base porphyrin with weakly electric dipole-allowed transitions. For the strongly dipole-allowed transitions, e.g., S(1) --> S(0) and S(0) --> S(1) of linear polyacenes, anthracene, tetracene, and pentacene, the HT effect is found to enhance the radiative decay rates by approximately 10% compared to those without the HT effect. For nonradiative transition processes, a general formalism is presented to extend the application scope of the internal conversion theory by going beyond the promoting-mode approximation. Numerical calculations for the nonradiative S(1) --> S(0) decay rate of azulene well explain the origin of the violation of Kashas rule. When coupled with first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the present approach appears to be an effective tool to obtain a quantitative description and detailed understanding of spectra and photophysical processes in polyatomic molecules.

Theoretical investigation of the lowest singlet and triplet states in poly(paraphenylene vinylene)oligomers

Using the semiempirical intermediate neglect of differential overlap (INDO) Hamiltonian in combination with configuration interaction techniques, we calculate the optical and photoinduced absorption spectra of poly(paraphenylene vinylene) oligomers containing from two to five phenyl rings; the evolutions with chain length of the singlet–singlet and triplet–triplet excitation energies as well as the values extrapolated for the polymer are in good agreement with experiment. The geometry relaxation phenomena in the first one‐photon allowed singlet excited state and in the lowest triplet state are modeled on the basis of either bond‐order/bond‐length relationships or the formation of (bi)polaron‐type defects; the results are compared to those of direct geometry optimizations in the excited state. The different methods consistently lead to more pronounced bond‐length modifications in the triplet state than in the singlet state.