'Jumpy' chromophores could enable molecular electronics

摘要

Researchers at the U. of Pennsylvania and St. Josephs U. are touting their work on chromophores, which when linked together enable transfer of electrical charges that exceed mobility in organic semiconductors by up to a factor of three, and hold promise for applications in displays and solar cells. Chemically speaking, a chromophore is a molecule or part of one that is responsible for its color-light hitting the chromophore excites an electron, which then emits light of a particular color. In their research, the scientists have linked several chromophores (porphyrins) in oligomers via a carbon-carbon triple bond (acetylene), and constructed arrays of them through a series of sequential reactions (Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions). Introducing a charge to a chain array of the chromophores, by using an electrode or appropriate chemical reagent serving as an oxidant, enables electrons to "quickly hop from one chromophore to the next," said Michael Therien, a professor in Perm's Department of Chemistry and lead project researcher.