Optical absorption from solvation-induced polarons on nanotubes
Abstract
When an excess charge carrier is added to a one-dimensional (1D) semiconductor immersed in a polar solvent, the carrier can undergo self-localization into a large-radius adiabatic polaron. We explore the local optical absorption from the ground state of 1D polarons using a simplified theoretical model for small-diameter tubular structures. It is found that about 90% of the absorption strength is contained in the transition to the second lowest-energy localized electronic level formed in the polarization potential well, with the equilibrium transition energy larger than the binding energy of the polaron. Thermal fluctuations, however, cause a very substantial -- an order of magnitude larger than the thermal energy -- broadening of the transition. The resulting broad absorption feature may serve as a signature for the optical detection of solvated charge carriers.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0808.2791,
title = {Optical absorption from solvation-induced polarons on nanotubes},
author = {G. L. Ussery and Yu. N. Gartstein},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0808.2791},
year = {2009}
}