Charge transfer between acenes and PbS nanocrystals

Nanotechnology. 2009 May 13;20(19):195205. doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/20/19/195205. Epub 2009 Apr 20.

Abstract

Organic-inorganic hybrid heterojunctions have potential as the basis for future photovoltaic devices. Herein, we report the results of investigations exploring the possibility of using pentacene and tetracene as photoelectron donors in conjunction with PbS nanocrystals (PbS-NCs). Photoinduced charge transfer was probed using external quantum efficiency measurements on acene:PbS-NC hybrid photovoltaic devices in conjunction with photoluminescence studies of the corresponding bilayer films. It is shown that photoelectron transfer from pentacene to the PbS-NCs is inefficient as compared to that between tetracene and PbS-NCs. The latter case can be rationalized in terms of the energy level alignment at the heterojunction assuming a common vacuum level. However, in the case of pentacene:PbS-NC junctions an interfacial energy level shift must be considered in order to explain the observations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Crystallization / methods*
  • Electron Transport
  • Lead / chemistry*
  • Macromolecular Substances / chemistry
  • Materials Testing
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / ultrastructure*
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Particle Size
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / chemistry*
  • Static Electricity
  • Sulfides / chemistry*
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
  • Sulfides
  • lead sulfide
  • Lead