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Persistent spin coherence and bipolarons

Nature Nanotechnology volume 8, pages 884–885 (2013)Cite this article

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To the Editor

In their Commentary Boehme and Lupton1 discuss the current challenges for organic spintronics, and correctly highlight the importance of spectroscopic methods that directly detect the participating spin species. We have previously observed room-temperature coherent electron spin Rabi oscillations persisting beyond 500 ns by pulsed electrically detected magnetic resonance (pEDMR) from a conventional bulk heterojunction organic solar cell2, comprising a blend of 20% conjugated polymer (MEH-PPV) and 80% PCBM (C60). We also observed spin-locking with high-microwave magnetic field amplitudes and the results proved unambiguously that the two spin species responsible were S = 1/2. This observation eliminated models for the spin-dependent transport that provide sensitivity to magnetic fields, such as quenching of triplet excitons by polarons or mutual annihilation of two triplet excitons. Considering both the spectroscopic evidence and the device physics we concluded that the spin-dependent transport mechanism involved hopping via doubly occupied polymer segments, that is, bipolaron states.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fachbereich Physik, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, Berlin, D-14195, Germany

    Jan Behrends

  2. Organic Semiconductor Centre, SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9SS, UK

    Ifor D. W. Samuel

  3. Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Institute Silicon Photovoltaics, Kekuléstraße 5, Berlin, D-12489, Germany

    Alexander Schnegg

  4. Division of Physics, SUPA, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN, UK

    David J. Keeble

Authors
  1. Jan Behrends
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  2. Ifor D. W. Samuel
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  3. Alexander Schnegg
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  4. David J. Keeble
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Correspondence to David J. Keeble.

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Behrends, J., Samuel, I., Schnegg, A. et al. Persistent spin coherence and bipolarons. Nature Nanotech 8, 884–885 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2013.269

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