Frequency- and time-resolved second order quantum coherence function of IDTBT single-molecule fluorescence

Abstract

The frequency- and time-resolved second order quantum coherence function (g(2)(τ)) of single-molecule fluorescence has recently been proposed as a powerful new quantum light spectroscopy that can reveal intrinsic quantum coherence in excitation energy transfer in molecular systems ranging from simple dimers to photosynthetic complexes. Yet, no experiments have been reported to date. Here, we have developed a single-molecule fluorescence g(2)(τ) quantum light spectroscopy (SMFg2-QLS) that can simultaneously measure the fluorescence intensity, lifetime, spectra, and g(2)(τ) with frequency resolution, for a single molecule in a controlled environment at both room temperature and cryogenic temperature. As a proof of principle, we have studied single molecules of IDTBT (indacenodithiophene-co-benzothiadiazole), a semiconducting donor-acceptor conjugated copolymer with a chain-like structure that shows a high carrier mobility and annihilation-limited long-range exciton transport. We have observed different g(2)(τ=0) values with different bands or bandwidths of the single molecule IDTBT fluorescence. The general features are consistent with theoretical predictions and suggest non-trivial excited state quantum dynamics, possibly showing quantum coherence, although further analysis and confirmation will require additional theoretical calculations that take into account the complexity and inhomogeneity of individual IDTBT single molecular chains. Our results demonstrate the feasibility and promise of frequency- and time-resolved SMFg2-QLS to provide new insights into molecular quantum dynamics and to reveal signatures of intrinsic quantum coherence in photosynthetic light harvesting that are independent of the nature of the light excitation.