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Title: Exciton–exciton annihilation and biexciton stimulated emission in graphene nanoribbons

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11010· OSTI ID:1255251
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [4];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [4];  [8]
  1. Politecnico di Milano, Milano (Italy); Univ. of Cambridge, Cambridge (United Kingdom)
  2. Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, Milano (Italy)
  3. Politecnico di Milano, Milano (Italy)
  4. Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz (Germany)
  5. Univ. of Graz, Graz (Austria)
  6. Univ. di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena (Italy); Istituto Nanoscience, Modena (Italy)
  7. Istituto Nanoscience, Modena (Italy)
  8. Politecnico di Milano, Milano (Italy); Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, Milano (Italy)

Graphene nanoribbons display extraordinary optical properties due to one-dimensional quantum-confinement, such as width-dependent bandgap and strong electron–hole interactions, responsible for the formation of excitons with extremely high binding energies. Here we use femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy to explore the ultrafast optical properties of ultranarrow, structurally well-defined graphene nanoribbons as a function of the excitation fluence, and the impact of enhanced Coulomb interaction on their excited states dynamics. We show that in the high-excitation regime biexcitons are formed by nonlinear exciton–exciton annihilation, and that they radiatively recombine via stimulated emission. We obtain a biexciton binding energy of ≈250meV, in very good agreement with theoretical results from quantum Monte Carlo simulations. As a result, these observations pave the way for the application of graphene nanoribbons in photonics and optoelectronics.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC, Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0012704
OSTI ID:
1255251
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Vol. 7; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 74 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (15)

Synthesis of Dibenzo[ hi,st ]ovalene and Its Amplified Spontaneous Emission in a Polystyrene Matrix journal May 2017
Femtosecond Electron Dynamics in Graphene Nanoribbons – A Nonequilibrium Green Functions Approach Within an Extended Hubbard Model journal January 2019
Pure Bromide‐Based Perovskite Nanoplatelets for Blue Light‐Emitting Diodes journal May 2019
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the graphene era journal June 2019
Diels–Alder polymerization: a versatile synthetic method toward functional polyphenylenes, ladder polymers and graphene nanoribbons journal November 2017
Exciton and phonon dynamics in highly aligned 7-atom wide armchair graphene nanoribbons as seen by time-resolved spontaneous Raman scattering journal January 2018
Lifetime dynamics of plasmons in the few-atom limit journal August 2018
Nanometre electron beam sculpting of suspended graphene and hexagonal boron nitride heterostructures journal March 2019
Screening of long-range Coulomb interaction in graphene nanoribbons: Armchair versus zigzag edges journal November 2018
Exciton absorption spectra in narrow armchair graphene nanoribbons in an electric field journal April 2019
Termini effects on the optical properties of graphene nanoribbons journal November 2018
Multiple Exciton Generation in Nanostructures for Advanced Photovoltaic Cells journal January 2018
Synthesis of Dibenzo[ hi,st ]ovalene and Its Amplified Spontaneous Emission in a Polystyrene Matrix journal May 2017
Onset of exciton-exciton annihilation in single layer black phosphorus text January 2016
Exciton absorption spectra in narrow armchair graphene nanoribbons in electric fields text January 2018

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