Overview
- Ultrafast laser experiments captured electrons crossing a polymer donor to non-fullerene acceptor interface within a single molecular vibration.
- The model junction was built with a sub-100 meV energy offset and weak coupling yet yielded coherent, ballistic charge separation.
- High-frequency motions in the polymer mixed electronic states and effectively kicked the electron across the boundary.
- A synchronized vibration on the acceptor served as a rare coherent fingerprint of such rapid transfer.
- The peer-reviewed study, published March 5 in Nature Communications, points to new routes for organic photovoltaics, photodetectors and photocatalysis.