Ultrafast Time-Resolved Spectroscopy of Photoinduced Electron Transfer in Novel Photovoltaic Devices

ORAL

Abstract

We present work toward an understanding of the fundamental photophysics of photoinduced electon transfer between 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid (9-AC) and TiO$_2$ nanoparticles in order to apply the techniques to a novel photovoltaic device. The active layers of a proposed device consist of a broad-spectrum, metallo-organic absorber\footnote{M.H.Chisholm, et al., Inorg.Chem.\textbf{47}, 3415 (2008).} covalently bound through a carboxylic acid to a nano-porous TiO$_2$ structure. To study the electron transfer, a model compound, 9-AC, is covalently bound to TiO$_2$ nanoparticles. Ultrafast electron transfer from the excited 9-AC to the TiO$_2$ is observed within 50 fs using ultrafast broadband spectroscopy. Further evidence of this transfer is shown from quenching of the fluorescence of the 9-AC with increasing concentrations of TiO$_2$ with no effects on the lifetime of the fluorescence.

*This work is supported by the Wright Center for Photovoltaic Innovation and Commercialization (PVIC) [60014335].

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Authors

  • L.M. Mier

    • Department of Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210-1185
    • Dept. of Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210-1185

  • A.R. Carter

    • Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210

  • T.L. Gustafson

    • Department of Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210-1185

  • Arthur Epstein

    • Ohio State University
    • Dept. of Physics, Dept. of Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
    • Dept. of Physics and Dept of Chemistry, The Ohio State University
    • The Ohio State University
    • Physics Department, Ohio State Unversity, Columbus, OH 43210-1117
    • Departments of Physics and Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210