Composites of organic molecules and inorganic quantum dots (QDs) have emerged as attractive photon upconversion systems that use triplet–triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC). However, the upconversion efficiency of such systems is still far from reaching their theoretical potential. The number of acceptor molecules directly coordinated on a QD (n) should determine triplet–triplet energy transfer (TTET) efficiency (ΦTTET), which consequently affects the efficiency of TTA-UC, but the research focusing on the n value has been limited. In the present report, the effect of n on TTET from CdSe or CdTe QDs to perylene-3-carboxylic acid (Pe; i.e., acceptor) were systematically investigated. The TTET and TTA-UC efficiencies increase with increasing n. The regulation of n on a QD could provide a straightforward means to realize high-performance TTA-UC. For the molecule/QDs systems, small QDs with a wide band gap are favorable for intrinsic TTET (i.e., TTET in a one-to-one QD-Pe composite system), because intrinsic TTET efficiency is detemined by the triplet energy of QDs. On the other hand, the small QDs limit the n due to the small surface area. Therefore, the proper choices of QDs and acceptors providing both sufficient free energy change for TTET and large n are important to achieve efficient TTA-UC.
The conversion of a high-energy photon into two excitons using singlet fission (SF) has stimulated a variety of studies in fields from fundamental physics to device applications. However, efficient SF has only been achieved in limited systems, such as solid crystals and covalent dimers. Here, we established a novel system by assembling 4-(6,13-bis(2-(triisopropylsilyl)ethynyl)pentacen-2-yl)benzoic acid (Pc) chromophores on nanosized CdTe quantum dots (QDs). A near-unity SF (198 ± 5.7%) initiated by interfacial resonant energy transfer from CdTe to surface Pc was obtained. The unique arrangement of Pc determined by the surface atomic configuration of QDs is the key factor realizing unity SF. The triplet–triplet annihilation was remarkably suppressed due to the rapid dissociation of triplet pairs, leading to long-lived free triplets. In addition, the low light-harvesting ability of Pc in the visible region was promoted by the efficient energy transfer (99 ± 5.8%) from the QDs to Pc. The synergistically enhanced light-harvesting ability, high triplet yield, and long-lived triplet lifetime of the SF system on nanointerfaces could pave the way for an unmatched advantage of SF.
Surface defects are pervasive in quantum dots (QDs) and are detrimental to their applications. The recycling of trapped excitons is key for the efficient utilization of QDs, while the strategy for this is limited. Here, we discovered a unique recycling process for deep trapped excitons in molecule-coordinated defect-rich QD systems. Triplet–triplet energy transfer (TTET) from defect-rich QDs to surface-attached perylene-3-carboxylic acid (Pe) was investigated at a low temperature (77 K), and the contribution of defect state was suggested the Auger-assisted recycling process of the defect-trapped carriers, having insufficient energy for TTET. The discovery of TTET via exciton recycling from defects provides a new way to reuse untapped excitons in QDs and QD devices.
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