Discovery of New Singlet Fission Photovoltaics Materials for Sustainable Energy Harvesting

Research question 

The project focuses on an emerging photovoltaics technology called singlet exciton fission, or simply singlet fission (SF). With this potential technology one can generate two charge carriers (excitons) from one quantum of light absorbed (one photon), i.e. one can cleave (fission) one photon into two excitons. The basic photophysical process was discovered in the 1960s, yet the dilemma for its utilization in photovoltaics applications is that the presently used organic molecules rapidly degrade when exposed to light and ambient atmosphere. The holy grail is to find organic molecules that are long-term stable, and that simultaneously allow for an efficient SF process. To design such improved organic molecules, we will utilize a theory developed in the early 1970s on how a stabilizing effect called aromaticity affects excited states reached upon excitation by light. The methods applied in the project include quantum chemical calculations, materials synthesis, and spectroscopic characterization. 

Sustainability aspects

We address SDG7 on clean and affordable energy for all.