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Exciton dynamics of C60-based single-photon emitters explored by Hanbury Brown–Twiss scanning tunnelling microscopy

Author

Listed:
  • P. Merino

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung)

  • C. Große

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung)

  • A. Rosławska

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung)

  • K. Kuhnke

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung)

  • K. Kern

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung
    Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

Abstract

Exciton creation and annihilation by charges are crucial processes for technologies relying on charge-exciton-photon conversion. Improvement of organic light sources or dye-sensitized solar cells requires methods to address exciton dynamics at the molecular scale. Near-field techniques have been instrumental for this purpose; however, characterizing exciton recombination with molecular resolution remained a challenge. Here, we study exciton dynamics by using scanning tunnelling microscopy to inject current with sub-molecular precision and Hanbury Brown–Twiss interferometry to measure photon correlations in the far-field electroluminescence. Controlled injection allows us to generate excitons in solid C60 and let them interact with charges during their lifetime. We demonstrate electrically driven single-photon emission from localized structural defects and determine exciton lifetimes in the picosecond range. Monitoring lifetime shortening and luminescence saturation for increasing carrier injection rates provides access to charge-exciton annihilation dynamics. Our approach introduces a unique way to study single quasi-particle dynamics on the ultimate molecular scale.

Suggested Citation

  • P. Merino & C. Große & A. Rosławska & K. Kuhnke & K. Kern, 2015. "Exciton dynamics of C60-based single-photon emitters explored by Hanbury Brown–Twiss scanning tunnelling microscopy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-6, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms9461
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9461
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    Cited by:

    1. Jiří Doležal & Sofia Canola & Prokop Hapala & Rodrigo Cezar Campos Ferreira & Pablo Merino & Martin Švec, 2022. "Evidence of exciton-libron coupling in chirally adsorbed single molecules," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Yang Luo & Fan-Fang Kong & Xiao-Jun Tian & Yun-Jie Yu & Shi-Hao Jing & Chao Zhang & Gong Chen & Yang Zhang & Yao Zhang & Xiao-Guang Li & Zhen-Yu Zhang & Zhen-Chao Dong, 2024. "Anomalously bright single-molecule upconversion electroluminescence," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.

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