An investigation into vibrational dynamics in organic semiconductors
type: CreativeWork
description: This thesis is concerned with study of vibrational dynamics and their effect on charge transport in thin films of organic semiconductors. Two classes of organic semiconductors are investigated- crystalline small molecules and conjugated polymers. Although device performance of both classes of materials has greatly improved over last two decades, detailed understanding of relationship between structure and transport properties is still missing- so far development of organic semiconductors has mostly been based on experimental approach, with theoretical models providing post factum justification rather than guiding rational design of novel compounds. In this thesis I establish methodology to investigate both inter- and intramolecular vibrational modes by combining latest computational techniques with experimental pressure-dependent Raman spectroscopy. The dominant factor limiting charge delocalization in crystalline small molecules are low frequency, large amplitude intermolecular modes. However, theoretical modeling of these modes require use of periodic boundary conditions increasing computational cost by orders of magnitude when compared to commonly used vacuum phase simulations. I report comparative study of two implementations (CRYSTAL09 and CASTEP) of density functional theory (DFT) and dispersion correction (Grimme and Tkatchenko-Scheffler) and evaluate their applicability to predict low frequency vibrational modes in 2,7-Dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) and 2,8-Difl uoro-5,11-bis(triethylsilylethynyl)anthradithiophene (dif-TES-ADT). Charge transport in conjugated polymers is strongly affected by energetic disorder arising from spatial variations in backbone conformation. I combine vacuum phase DFT simulations of intramolecular vibrational modes with pressure-dependent Raman spectroscopy to study planarity and torsional backbone disorder of 2,5-bis(3-alkylthiophene-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (pBTTT), indacenodithiophene-co-benzo-thiadiaz…
abstract: This thesis is concerned with study of vibrational dynamics and their effect on charge transport in thin films of organic semiconductors. Two classes of organic semiconductors are investigated- crystalline small molecules and conjugated polymers. Although device performance of both classes of materials has greatly improved over last two decades, detailed understanding of relationship between structure and transport properties is still missing- so far development of organic semiconductors has mostly been based on experimental approach, with theoretical models providing post factum justification rather than guiding rational design of novel compounds. In this thesis I establish methodology to investigate both inter- and intramolecular vibrational modes by combining latest computational techniques with experimental pressure-dependent Raman spectroscopy. The dominant factor limiting charge delocalization in crystalline small molecules are low frequency, large amplitude intermolecular modes. However, theoretical modeling of these modes require use of periodic boundary conditions increasing computational cost by orders of magnitude when compared to commonly used vacuum phase simulations. I report comparative study of two implementations (CRYSTAL09 and CASTEP) of density functional theory (DFT) and dispersion correction (Grimme and Tkatchenko-Scheffler) and evaluate their applicability to predict low frequency vibrational modes in 2,7-Dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) and 2,8-Difl uoro-5,11-bis(triethylsilylethynyl)anthradithiophene (dif-TES-ADT). Charge transport in conjugated polymers is strongly affected by energetic disorder arising from spatial variations in backbone conformation. I combine vacuum phase DFT simulations of intramolecular vibrational modes with pressure-dependent Raman spectroscopy to study planarity and torsional backbone disorder of 2,5-bis(3-alkylthiophene-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (pBTTT), indacenodithiophene-co-benzo-thiadiaz…
author: Zelazny, Mateusz Aleksander
language: en
keywords: organic semiconductors, nanotechnology, semiconductors, organic electronics, plastic electronics, density functional theory
license: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/34b6cb1b-9d4f-4e02-8af4-73a4bb302f4d/download
license: https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/
date published: 2019-03-31
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:23:54Z
provider: Cambridge University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Cambridge

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.17863/CAM.31577