Photoluminescence Imaging of Polyfluorene Surface Structures on Semiconducting Carbon Nanotubes: Implications for Thin Film Exciton Transport

Hartmann, Nicolai F.; Pramanik, Rajib; Dowgiallo, Anne-Marie; Ihly, Rachelle; Blackburn, Jeffrey L.; Doorn, Stephen K.

doi:10.1021/acsnano.6b07168

Photoluminescence Imaging of Polyfluorene Surface Structures on Semiconducting Carbon Nanotubes: Implications for Thin Film Exciton Transport

Journal Article · Mon Dec 05 23:00:00 EST 2016 · ACS Nano

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.6b07168· OSTI ID:1343088

Hartmann, Nicolai F. ^[1]; Pramanik, Rajib ^[1]; Dowgiallo, Anne-Marie ^[2]; Ihly, Rachelle ^[2]; Blackburn, Jeffrey L. ^[2]; ^[1]

Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have potential to act as light-harvesting elements in thin film photovoltaic devices, but performance is in part limited by the efficiency of exciton diffusion processes within the films. Factors contributing to exciton transport can include film morphology encompassing nanotube orientation, connectivity, and interaction geometry. Such factors are often defined by nanotube surface structures that are not yet well understood. We present the results of a combined pump-probe and photoluminescence imaging study of polyfluorene (PFO)-wrapped (6,5) and (7,5) SWCNTs that provide additional insight into the role played by polymer structures in defining exciton transport. The pump-probe measurements suggest exciton transport occurs over larger length scales in films composed of PFO-wrapped (7,5) SWCNTs, compared to those prepared from PFO-bpy-wrapped (6,5) SWCNTs. To explore the role the difference in polymer structure may play as a possible origin of differing transport behaviors, we performed a photoluminescence imaging study of individual polymer-wrapped (6,5) and (7,5) SWCNTs. The PFO-bpy-wrapped (6,5) SWCNTs showed more uniform intensity distributions along their lengths, in contrast to the PFO-wrapped (7,5) SWCNTs, which showed irregular, discontinuous intensity distributions. These differences likely originate from differences in surface coverage and suggest the PFO wrapping on (7,5) nanotubes produces a more open surface structure than is available with the PFO-bpy wrapping of (6,5) nanotubes. Furthermore, the open structure likely leads to improved intertube coupling that enhances exciton transport within the (7,5) films, consistent with the results of our pump-probe measurements.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1343088

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1361483

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--5900-67896

Journal Information:: ACS Nano, Journal Name: ACS Nano Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 10; ISSN 1936-0851

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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