Long-Range Exciton Transport in Anthracene-Based Supramolecular Mesostructures and Its Control by Surface Plasmons.

Pathoor, Nithin; Tan, Qiwen; Zhang, Wenhao; Nozaki, Misa; Fujita, Takatoshi; Takagi, Toranosuke; Omagari, Shun; Sagara, Yoshimitsu et al. · Nano Lett · 2026

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Efficient singlet exciton transport is essential for optoelectronic applications, but in organic solids exciton diffusion is limited to tens of nanometers. We study exciton transport in supramolecular nanofibers self-assembled from 9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene (BPEA) derivatives end-capped with hydrophilic dendritic structures. Hydrogen bonds determine the nanofiber structure and induce J-aggregate character of the BPEA chromophores. Position-dependent fluorescence lifetime reveals exciton diffusion lengths up to 350 nm and diffusion coefficients up to 0.7 cm<sup>2</sup>/s, among the highest reported for organic solids. Quantum-chemical calculations combined with exciton diffusion simulations qualitatively reproduce the spectral properties and diffusion behavior. Structural rigidity, exciton delocalization over 2-3 monomers, and mixing of the locally excited and charge-transfer states are proposed as factors enabling the long-range transport. Additionally, plasmonic nanohole gold substrates enhance exciton transport by more than 2-fold, with a nanofiber orientation revealing the role of local electric field in the plasmonic enhancement of the Förster-type exciton transport.