Comparison of photoconductivity, optical absorption and theoretical calculation of coranulenne. From RSC Adv.
We have been measuring photoconductivity spectra in non-crystalline corannulene thin layers and compared them to optical absorption in solution phase and thin films. The unexpected enhanced photoconductivity is correlated with GW–BSE theoretical predictions of corannulene gas-phase excitonic spectra. Theoretical analysis reveals a consistent contribution involving transitions to Super Atomic Molecular Orbitals (SAMOs), a unique set of diffuse orbitals typical of curved conjugated constructs. Results suggest SAMO population via direct photoexcitation as a potential mechanism towards exploiting these diffuse orbitals as conducting channels in suitably assembled quantum nanostructures or solids. Results are published in RSC Advances.