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

P. Merino (), C. Große, A. Rosławska, K. Kuhnke and K. Kern
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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

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9461

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