Correlated Triplet Pair Formation Activated by Geometry Relaxation in Directly Linked Tetracene Dimer (5,5′-Bitetracene)

Abstract

Singlet fission (SF) materials have the potential to overcome the traditional external quantum efficiency limits of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In this study, we theoretically designed an intramolecular SF molecule, 5, 5′-bitetracene (55BT), in which two tetracene units were directly connected through a C–C bond. Using quantum chemical calculation and the Fermi golden rule, we show that 55BT undergoes efficient SF induced by geometry relaxation in a locally excited singlet state, ¹(S0S1). Compared with another high-performing SF system, the tetracene dimer in the crystalline state, 55BT has advantages when used in doped systems owing to covalent bonding of the two tetracene units. This feature makes 55BT a promising candidate triplet sensitizer for near-infrared OLEDs.