Issue 1, 2022

Organic single crystals of charge-transfer complexes: model systems for the study of donor/acceptor interactions

Abstract

The charge-transfer (CT) state arising as a hybrid electronic state at the interface between charge donor and charge acceptor molecular units is important to a wide variety of physical processes in organic semiconductor devices. The exact nature of this state depends heavily on the nature and co-facial overlap between the donor and acceptor; however, altering this overlap is usually accompanied by extensive confounding variations in properties due to extrinsic factors, such as microstructure. As a consequence, establishing reliable relationships between donor/acceptor molecular structures, their molecular overlap, degree of charge transfer and physical properties, is challenging. Herein, we examine the electronic structure of a polymorphic system based on the donor dibenzotetrathiafulvalene (DBTTF) and the acceptor 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) in the form of high-quality single crystals varying in the donor–acceptor overlap. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we resolve the highest occupied molecular orbital states of the CT crystals. Analysis based on field-effect transistors allows us to probe the sub-gap states impacting hole and electron transport. Our results expand the understanding on the impact of donor and acceptor interactions on electronic structure and charge transport.

Graphical abstract: Organic single crystals of charge-transfer complexes: model systems for the study of donor/acceptor interactions

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
31 Jūl. 2021
Accepted
15 Okt. 2021
First published
15 Okt. 2021

Mater. Horiz., 2022,9, 271-280

Author version available

Organic single crystals of charge-transfer complexes: model systems for the study of donor/acceptor interactions

K. P. Goetz, H. F. Iqbal, E. G. Bittle, C. A. Hacker, S. Pookpanratana and O. D. Jurchescu, Mater. Horiz., 2022, 9, 271 DOI: 10.1039/D1MH01214B

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