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Title: Excitation energy-dependent photocurrent switching in a single-molecule photodiode
The direction of electron flow in molecular optoelectronic devices is dictated by charge transfer between a molecular excited state and an underlying conductor or semiconductor. For those devices, controlling the direction and reversibility of electron flow is a major challenge. We describe here a novel, single-molecule photodiode. It is based on an internally conjugated, bi-chromophoric dyad with chemically linked (porphyrinato)zinc(II) and bis(terpyridyl)ruthenium(II) groups. On nanocrystalline, degenerately doped indium tin oxide electrodes, the dyad exhibits distinct frequency-dependent, charge-transfer characters. Variations in the light source between red (~ 1.9 eV) and blue (~ 2.7 eV) light excitation for the integrated photodiode result in switching of photocurrents between cathodic and anodic. The origin of the excitation frequency-dependent photocurrents lies in the electronic structure of the chromophore excited states, as shown by the results of theoretical calculations, laser flash photolysis and steady-state spectrophotometric measurements.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1709497
PAR ID:
10104128
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume:
116
Issue:
33
ISSN:
0027-8424
Page Range / eLocation ID:
16198-16203
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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