Ultrafast Structural Reorganization and Charge Dynamics in a Photoionized Donor–Acceptor Biphenyl Molecule

Intramolecular charge transfer (CT) processes play a crucial role in fields such as energy conversion, molecular electronics, and biochemistry. Defined by the movement of electronic charge between donor and acceptor groups within a molecule, CT is inherently coupled with nuclear motions, making it e...

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Main Authors: Daniele Mocci, Juan Reino González, Yingxuan Wu, Jesús González Vázquez, Federico Vismarra, Francisco Fernández-Villoria, Javier Urieta-Mora, Alicia Palacios, Pedro Recio, Javier Cachon, Luis Bañares, Matteo Lucchini, Maurizio Reduzzi, Rocío Borrego-Varillas, Nazario Martín, Fernando Martín, Mauro Nisoli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2025-01-01
Series:Ultrafast Science
Online Access:https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/ultrafastscience.0108
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author Daniele Mocci
Juan Reino González
Yingxuan Wu
Jesús González Vázquez
Federico Vismarra
Francisco Fernández-Villoria
Javier Urieta-Mora
Alicia Palacios
Pedro Recio
Javier Cachon
Luis Bañares
Matteo Lucchini
Maurizio Reduzzi
Rocío Borrego-Varillas
Nazario Martín
Fernando Martín
Mauro Nisoli
author_facet Daniele Mocci
Juan Reino González
Yingxuan Wu
Jesús González Vázquez
Federico Vismarra
Francisco Fernández-Villoria
Javier Urieta-Mora
Alicia Palacios
Pedro Recio
Javier Cachon
Luis Bañares
Matteo Lucchini
Maurizio Reduzzi
Rocío Borrego-Varillas
Nazario Martín
Fernando Martín
Mauro Nisoli
author_sort Daniele Mocci
collection DOAJ
description Intramolecular charge transfer (CT) processes play a crucial role in fields such as energy conversion, molecular electronics, and biochemistry. Defined by the movement of electronic charge between donor and acceptor groups within a molecule, CT is inherently coupled with nuclear motions, making it essential for the understanding of energy flow and reaction mechanisms in molecular systems. Here, we employ attosecond pump-probe spectroscopy to explore the ultrafast dynamics of 4-amino-4′-nitrobiphenyl (ANB), a donor–π–acceptor molecule. Our experimental results in combination with time-dependent density functional theory and trajectory surface hopping simulations uncover a complex temporal evolution of CT spanning from a few to tens of femtoseconds. The process unfolds in distinct stages. An initial phase is marked by an ultrafast charge migration driven by a molecular planarization process, and it is followed by oscillations in the charge distribution that have a 2-fold origin: the electronic coherence induced by the broadband attosecond pulse and the coupling with nuclear motion. In ANB, these dynamics are exemplified by oscillations in charge density and structural parameters, such as dihedral angles and bond lengths, underscoring the interconnection between electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom.
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publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
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spelling doaj-art-823c9ef2b0dd4e68ba2f374e0c216b702025-08-20T03:02:37ZengAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)Ultrafast Science2765-87912025-01-01510.34133/ultrafastscience.0108Ultrafast Structural Reorganization and Charge Dynamics in a Photoionized Donor–Acceptor Biphenyl MoleculeDaniele Mocci0Juan Reino González1Yingxuan Wu2Jesús González Vázquez3Federico Vismarra4Francisco Fernández-Villoria5Javier Urieta-Mora6Alicia Palacios7Pedro Recio8Javier Cachon9Luis Bañares10Matteo Lucchini11Maurizio Reduzzi12Rocío Borrego-Varillas13Nazario Martín14Fernando Martín15Mauro Nisoli16Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy.Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia (IMDEA Nanoscience), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy.Departamento de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy.Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia (IMDEA Nanoscience), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia (IMDEA Nanoscience), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.Departamento de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.Departamento de Química Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.Departamento de Química Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia (IMDEA Nanoscience), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy.Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy.Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies, IFN-CNR, 20133 Milano, Italy.Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia (IMDEA Nanoscience), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia (IMDEA Nanoscience), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy.Intramolecular charge transfer (CT) processes play a crucial role in fields such as energy conversion, molecular electronics, and biochemistry. Defined by the movement of electronic charge between donor and acceptor groups within a molecule, CT is inherently coupled with nuclear motions, making it essential for the understanding of energy flow and reaction mechanisms in molecular systems. Here, we employ attosecond pump-probe spectroscopy to explore the ultrafast dynamics of 4-amino-4′-nitrobiphenyl (ANB), a donor–π–acceptor molecule. Our experimental results in combination with time-dependent density functional theory and trajectory surface hopping simulations uncover a complex temporal evolution of CT spanning from a few to tens of femtoseconds. The process unfolds in distinct stages. An initial phase is marked by an ultrafast charge migration driven by a molecular planarization process, and it is followed by oscillations in the charge distribution that have a 2-fold origin: the electronic coherence induced by the broadband attosecond pulse and the coupling with nuclear motion. In ANB, these dynamics are exemplified by oscillations in charge density and structural parameters, such as dihedral angles and bond lengths, underscoring the interconnection between electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom.https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/ultrafastscience.0108
spellingShingle Daniele Mocci
Juan Reino González
Yingxuan Wu
Jesús González Vázquez
Federico Vismarra
Francisco Fernández-Villoria
Javier Urieta-Mora
Alicia Palacios
Pedro Recio
Javier Cachon
Luis Bañares
Matteo Lucchini
Maurizio Reduzzi
Rocío Borrego-Varillas
Nazario Martín
Fernando Martín
Mauro Nisoli
Ultrafast Structural Reorganization and Charge Dynamics in a Photoionized Donor–Acceptor Biphenyl Molecule
Ultrafast Science
title Ultrafast Structural Reorganization and Charge Dynamics in a Photoionized Donor–Acceptor Biphenyl Molecule
title_full Ultrafast Structural Reorganization and Charge Dynamics in a Photoionized Donor–Acceptor Biphenyl Molecule
title_fullStr Ultrafast Structural Reorganization and Charge Dynamics in a Photoionized Donor–Acceptor Biphenyl Molecule
title_full_unstemmed Ultrafast Structural Reorganization and Charge Dynamics in a Photoionized Donor–Acceptor Biphenyl Molecule
title_short Ultrafast Structural Reorganization and Charge Dynamics in a Photoionized Donor–Acceptor Biphenyl Molecule
title_sort ultrafast structural reorganization and charge dynamics in a photoionized donor acceptor biphenyl molecule
url https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/ultrafastscience.0108
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