Single dibenzoterrylene molecules in naphthalene and 2,3-dimethylnaphthalene crystals: vibronic spectra

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2011 Feb 7;13(5):1872-8. doi: 10.1039/c0cp01730b. Epub 2011 Jan 7.

Abstract

Fluorescence excitation spectra of single dibenzoterrylene (DBT) molecules embedded in naphthalene (N) and 2,3-dimethylnaphthalene (2,3-DMN) crystals were studied at 5 K. The frequencies characterizing the vibronic structure of single DBT molecules in an N crystal agree with the theoretical prediction for the isolated DBT molecule. The 'dipolar' disorder encountered in 2,3-DMN crystals leads to a broad distribution of frequencies of the (0,0) lines of single DBT molecules. Moreover, the observed vibronic frequencies and intensities in the spectrum of DBT in 2,3-DMN crystals are slightly different to those in an N crystal. We conclude that the structure of DBT molecules in a 2,3-DMN crystal is disturbed in comparison with isolated DBT and the main change concerns its central tetracene moiety.