Browsing by Author "Can, Ayse"

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Citation - WoS: 47
Citation - Scopus: 44
Enabling Three-Dimensional Porous Architectures via Carbonyl Functionalization and Molecular-Specific Organic-SERS Platforms
(Nature Portfolio, 2021) Deneme, Ibrahim; Liman, Gorkem; Can, Ayse; Demirel, Gokhan; Usta, Hakan
Nanostructured films of organic semiconductors with low lying LUMO orbitals can enhance Raman signals via a chemical enhancement mechanism but currently the material choice is limited to fluorinated oligothiophenes. Here, the authors investigate the growth of a porous thienoacene film enabled by carbonyls and demonstrate molecular specific organic-SERS platforms. Molecular engineering via functionalization has been a great tool to tune noncovalent intermolecular interactions. Herein, we demonstrate three-dimensional highly crystalline nanostructured D(C7CO)-BTBT films via carbonyl-functionalization of a fused thienoacene pi-system, and strong Raman signal enhancements in Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) are realized. The small molecule could be prepared on the gram scale with a facile synthesis-purification. In the engineered films, polar functionalization induces favorable out-of-plane crystal growth via zigzag motif of dipolar C = O center dot center dot center dot C = O interactions and hydrogen bonds, and strengthens pi-interactions. A unique two-stage film growth behavior is identified with an edge-on-to-face-on molecular orientation transition driven by hydrophobicity. The analysis of the electronic structures and the ratio of the anti-Stokes/Stokes SERS signals suggests that the pi-extended/stabilized LUMOs with varied crystalline face-on orientations provide the key properties in the chemical enhancement mechanism. A molecule-specific Raman signal enhancement is also demonstrated on a high-LUMO organic platform. Our results demonstrate a promising guidance towards realizing low-cost SERS-active semiconducting materials, increasing structural versatility of organic-SERS platforms, and advancing molecule-specific sensing via molecular engineering.
Citation - WoS: 63
Citation - Scopus: 63
Highly Efficient Deep-Blue Electroluminescence Based on a Solution-Processable A-Π Oligo(p-Phenyleneethynylene) Small Molecule
(Amer Chemical Soc, 2019) Usta, Hakan; Alimli, Dilek; Ozdemir, Resul; Dabak, Salih; Zorlu, Yunus; Alkan, Fahri; Can, Ayse
The development of solution-processable fluorescent small molecules with highly efficient deep-blue electroluminescence is of growing interest for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) applications. However, high-performance deep-blue fluorescent emitters with external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) over 5% are still scarce in OLEDs. Herein, a novel highly soluble oligo(p-phenyleneethynylene)-based small molecule, 1,4-bis((2-cyanophenyl)ethynyl)-2,5-bis(2-ethylhexyloxy)benzene (2EHO-CNPE), is designed, synthesized, and fully characterized as a wide band gap (2.98 eV) and highly fluorescent (Phi(PL) = 0.90 (solution) and 0.51 (solid-state)) deep-blue emitter. The new molecule is functionalized with cyano (-CN)/2-ethylhexyloxy (-OCH2CH(C2H5)C4H9) electron-withdrawing/-donating substituents, and ethynylene is used as a pi-spacer to form an acceptor (A)-pi-donor (D)-pi-acceptor (A) molecular architecture with hybridized local and charge transfer (HLCT) excited states. Physicochemical and optoelectronic characterizations of the new emitter were performed in detail, and the single-crystal structure was determined. The new molecule adopts a nearly coplanar pi-conjugated framework packed via intermolecular "C-H center dot center dot center dot pi" and "C-H center dot center dot center dot N" hydrogen bonding interactions without any pi-pi stacking. The OLED device based on 2EHO-CNPE shows an EQE(max) of 7.06% (EQE = 6.30% at 200 cd/m(2)) and a maximum current efficiency (CEmax) of 5.91 cd/A (CE = 5.34 cd/A at 200 cd/m(2)) with a deep-blue emission at CIE of (0.15, 0.09). The electroluminescence performances achieved here are among the highest reported to date for a solution-processed deep-blue fluorescent small molecule, and, to the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that a deep-blue OLED is reported based on the oligo(p-phenyleneethynylene) pi-framework. TDDFT calculations point to facile reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) processes in 2EHO-CNPE from high-lying triplet states to the first singlet excited state (T-2/T-3 -> S-1) (hot-exciton channels) that enable a high radiative exciton yield (eta(r) similar to 69%) breaking the theoretical limit of 25% in conventional fluorescent OLEDs. These results demonstrate that properly designed fluorescent oligo(p-phenyleneethynylenes) can be a key player in high-performance deep-blue OLEDs.
Citation - WoS: 11
Citation - Scopus: 13
Meso-π-extended/Deficient BODIPYs and Low-Band Donor-Acceptor Copolymers for Organic Optoelectronics
(Amer Chemical Soc, 2022) Can, Ayse; Choi, Gi-Seok; Ozdemir, Resul; Park, Soyoon; Park, Jin Su; Lee, Yongchul; Usta, Hakan
The realization of pi-deficient acceptors and their donor-acceptor copolymers has become a key research focus for the realization of versatile organic optoelectronic materials and devices. Herein, we demonstrate the theoretical design, synthesis, and physicochemical/optoelectronic characterization of two meso-pi-extended/deficient BODIPY building blocks (2OD-T2BDY and 2OD-TTzBDY) and a library of donor-acceptor copolymers with low band gap (E-g = 1.30-1.35 eV) based on these building blocks. These building blocks, to the best of our knowledge, are the first examples of BODIPYs with meso-pi-extension. A library of BODIPY building blocks with varied meso units/substituents is studied to reveal the meso effects on the semiconducting BODIPY's optoelectronic properties. The building blocks showed favorable pi-acceptor electronic/structural properties with meso-pi-delocalized and stabilized LUMOs (ca. -3.6 eV) and large ground-state dipole moments of 4.9-5.5 D. Consistent with the theoretical/experimental pi-electronic structures, all copolymers functioned as p-type semiconductors in field-effect transistors and as donor materials in the bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics. Power conversion efficiencies of up to 4.4% with a short-circuit current of 12.07 mA cm(-2) were achieved. This study demonstrates a unique meso-pi-extension strategy to realize BODIPYs with favorable pi-acceptor properties, and our findings could open up future materials design avenues in various organic optoelectronic applications.
Citation - WoS: 10
Citation - Scopus: 12
Solution-Processable Indenofluorenes on Polymer Brush Interlayer: Remarkable N-Channel Field-Effect Transistor Characteristics Under Ambient Conditions
(Amer Chemical Soc, 2023) Can, Ayse; Deneme, Ibrahim; Demirel, Gokhan; Usta, Hakan
The development of solution-processable n-type molecularsemiconductorsthat exhibit high electron mobility (& mu;(e) & GE;0.5 cm(2)/(V & BULL;s)) under ambient conditions, along withhigh current modulation (I (on)/I (off) & GE; 10(6)-10(7)) andnear-zero turn on voltage (V (on)) characteristics,has lagged behind that of other semiconductors in organic field-effecttransistors (OFETs). Here, we report the design, synthesis, physicochemicaland optoelectronic characterizations, and OFET performances of a libraryof solution-processable, low-LUMO (-4.20 eV) 2,2 & PRIME;-(2,8-bis(3-alkylthiophen-2-yl)indeno[1,2-b]fluorene-6,12-diylidene)dimalononitrile small molecules, & beta;,& beta;& PRIME;-C (n) -TIFDMTs, having varied alkyl chain lengths (n = 8, 12, 16). An intriguing correlation is identifiedbetween the solid-isotropic liquid transition enthalpies andthe solubilities, indicating that cohesive energetics, which are tunedby alkyl chains, play a pivotal role in determining solubility. Thesemiconductors were spin-coated under ambient conditions on denselypacked (grafting densities of 0.19-0.45 chains/nm(2)) ultrathin (& SIM;3.6-6.6 nm) polystyrene-brush surfaces.It is demonstrated that, on this polymer interlayer, thermally induceddispersive interactions occurring over a large number of methyleneunits between flexible alkyl chains (i.e., zipper effect) are criticalto achieve a favorable thin-film crystallization with a proper microstructureand morphology for efficient charge transport. While C-8 and C-16 chains show a minimal zipper effect upon thermalannealing, C-12 chains undergo an extended interdigitationinvolving & SIM;6 methylene units. This results in the formationof large crystallites having lamellar stacking ((100) coherence length & SIM;30 nm) in the out-of-plane direction and highly favorablein-plane & pi;-interactions in a slipped-stacked arrangement. Uninterruptedmicrostructural integrity (i.e., no face-on (010)-oriented crystallites)was found to be critical to achieving high mobilities. The excellentcrystallinity of the C-12-substituted semiconductor thinfilm was also evident in the observed crystal lattice vibrations (phonons)at 58 cm(-1) in low-frequency Raman scattering. Two-dimensionalmicrometer-sized (& SIM;1-3 & mu;m), sharp-edged plate-likegrains lying parallel with the substrate plane were observed. OFETsfabricated by the current small molecules showed excellent n-channelbehavior in ambient with & mu;(e) values reaching & SIM;0.9cm(2)/(V & BULL;s), I (on)/I (off) & SIM; 10(7)-10(8), and V (on) & AP; 0 V. Our study notonly demonstrates one of the highest performing n-channel OFET devicesreported under ambient conditions via solution processing but alsoelucidates significant relationships among chemical structures, molecularproperties, self-assembly from solution into a thin film, and semiconductingthin-film properties. The design rationales presented herein may openup new avenues for the development of high-electron-mobility novelelectron-deficient indenofluorene and short-axis substituted donor-acceptor & pi;-architectures via alkyl chain engineering and interface engineering.
Citation - WoS: 23
Citation - Scopus: 24
Indenofluorenes for Organic Optoelectronics: the Dance of Fused Five- and Six-Membered Rings Enabling Structural Versatility
(Royal Soc Chemistry, 2022) Can, Ayse; Facchetti, Antonio; Usta, Hakan
Polycyclic pi-conjugated hydrocarbons (PCHs), either unfunctionalized or structurally modified derivatives, have attracted tremendous interest in the past few decades as high-performance semiconductors for use in new generations of organic (opto)electronic devices. Among several PCHs realized to date, the 6-5-6-5-6 pi-fused-ring backbone of indenofluorene (IF) stands out as a unique semiconducting architecture with great structural and property versatility affording six different regioisomers, diverse functionalization/substitution positions, pi-conjugation/delocalization patterns, aromatic behaviors, and electronic structures. In this review, we summarize and analyze the historical and recent advances in the design and implementation of IF-based semiconductors in organic transistor and solar cell devices, as well as in understanding the chemical structure-molecular property-semiconductivity relationships. Following an introduction to the fascinating properties of an IF pi-framework that distinguishes this core among PCHs, we present IF-based semiconductors and discuss their properties by classifying them into four main families (IF-diones, IF-DCVs/IF-TTFs, pi-IFs, and (un)substituted DH-IFs) considering whether methylene or methine C-bridges are present and how these positions are functionalized or substituted. For each family, design and synthetic approaches, molecular properties, and transistor/solar cell device applicability and/or performance are reviewed and discussed. At the end, we conclude with a section discussing the challenges and opportunities for future progress of IF-based semiconductor materials and related (opto)electronic technologies.
Citation - WoS: 33
Citation - Scopus: 34
A Hybridized Local and Charge Transfer Excited State for Solution-Processed Non-Doped Green Electroluminescence Based on Oligo(p-Phenyleneethynylene)
(Royal Soc Chemistry, 2020) Usta, Hakan; Alimli, Dilek; Ozdemir, Resul; Tekin, Emine; Alkan, Fahri; Kacar, Rifat; Can, Ayse
We herein report a new highly efficient green emissive hot-exciton molecule, 1,4-bis((4'-diphenylamino3-cyano-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)ethynyl)-2,5-bis(2-ethylhexyloxy)benzene (2EHO-TPA-CNPE) that consists of an extended D'-pi'-A-pi-D-pi-A-pi'-D' molecular p-system with diphenylamino end units (D') and ethynylene/phenylene spacers (pi/pi'). The new molecule exhibits high photoluminescence (PL) quantum efficiencies (Phi(PL) = 0.95 (solution) and 0.45 (spin-coated neat thin-film)), and a strong PL solvatochromic behavior revealing significant changes in excited state energies/characteristics (locally excited (LE) -> hybridized local and charge transfer (HLCT) - charge-transfer (CT)) depending on solvent polarity. Highly efficient (radiative exciton yield (eta(r)) = 50-59% >> 25%) green-emitting OLEDs were fabricated in a conventional device architecture by employing (non-)doped thin-films reaching a maximum current efficiency (CEmax) of 12.0 cd A(-1) and a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE(max)) of 5.5%. The emission profile of the non-doped OLED has CIE 1976 (u', v') chromaticity coordinates of (0.10, 0.55) corresponding to a night vision imaging system (NVIS) compatible Green A region. 2EHO-TPA-CNPE-based OLED devices of industrial relevance were also fabricated by ink-jet printing the emissive layer and by fabricating an inverted architecture, which possessed respectable device performances of 2.4-6.1 cd A(-1). The solid-state solvation effect in OLED devices yields HLCT electronic behavior resulting in high Zr's, which is confirmed by TDDFT to originate from energetically/spatially favorable reverse intersystem crossings (RISCs) (T-2/3 -> S-1). As a unique observation, delayed fluorescence due to this RISC was evident in the PL decay lifetime measurement with a ns-scale lifetime of similar to 10 ns. These results clearly allow a better understanding of the structure-photophysical property-electroluminescence relationships in this new class of oligo(p-phenyleneethynylene)-based hot-exciton molecules, and it could open up new opportunities for high-performance solution-processed optoelectronic/sensing applications.