Visualizing nanoscale heterogeneity in perylene thin films via tip-enhanced photoluminescence with unsupervised machine learning

Abstract

We investigate the properties of ultrathin 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic diimide (PTCDI) films using a combination of tip-enhanced photoluminescence and unsupervised machine learning. We expose nanoscale spectral heterogeneities that can be understood on the basis of the interplay between vibronic effects, intermolecular excitons, and intramolecular excitons in PTDCI films.