Charge carrier photogeneration and transport in poly(methyl-phenylsilylene)

Optical excitations in poly(methyl-phenylsilylene) can be realized within the framework of a chemical bond in the polymer backbone or a side group skeleton. A charge transfer of the electron from the main chain to a side group is necessary to form stable ion-pairs. Dissociation of the ion-pairs can be described in terms of the Onsager theory of geminate recombination. The photogeneration efficiency can be improved by an electron acceptor doping. The charge carrier transport is influenced by two factors: delocalized movement inside the conjugated domains and intra- and interchain hopping. The electrostatic interactions of polar additives with polarons influence the polaron binding energy and the charge hopping.