Electronic absorption spectra vibronic coupling

Nonradiative transfer of excitation energy requires some interaction between donor and acceptor molecules and occurs if the emission spectrum of the donor overlaps the absorption spectrum of the acceptor, so that several vibronic transitions in the donor must have practically the same energy as the corresponding transitions in the acceptor. Such transitions are coupled, i.e., they are in resonance, and that is why the term resonance energy transfer (RET) or electronic energy transfer (EET) are often used. 

The PPV spectra of Fig. 16 show all the signatures of exciton absorption and emission, such as in typical molecular crystals. The existence of well-defined structure in the absorption spectrum is not so easily accounted for in a band-to-band absorption model. In semiconductor theory, the main source of structure is in the joint density of states, and none is predicted in one-dimensional band structure calculations (see below). However, CPs have high-energy phonons (molecular vibrations) which are known (see, e.g., RRS spectra) to be coupled to the electron states. The influence of these vibrations has not been included in previous theories of band-to-band transition spectra in the case of such wide bands [176,183]. For excitons, the vibronic structure is washed out in the case of very intense transitions, corresponding to very wide exciton bands, the strong-coupling case [168,170]. Does a similar effect occur for one-electron bands Further theoretical work would be useful. 

Formally, one can think of the Raman transition probability being proportional to the elements of the polarizability tensor of a bound electron as the exciting frequency approaches the resonance frequency, these elements are enhanced in a Lorentz model of the bound electron. A common example of this mechanism is furnished by the ring-breathing (in-plane expansion) modes of porphyrins. Another mechanism, called vibronic enhancement, involves vibrations which couple two electronic excited states. In both mechanisms, the enhancement factors are nearly proportional to the intensities in the absorption spectrum of the adsorbate. 

The new results by Buenker et al. [87] constitute a challenge to the interpretation of the ethane spectrum what became traditional in the last 30 years. It clearly indicates the need for more theoretical work with an even more extended basis set and a computation of the potential surfaces for all the relevant vibrational motions, implying a closer look at the consequences of the Jahn-Teller effect in the degenerate states as well as possible vibronic couplings between close-lying excited states. Equally needed are experimental works carried out at even higher resolution than has hitherto been possible more information on the vibrational and rotational structures are badly needed. This concerns not only the absorption spectra but also the electron-impact and photoelectron spectra. 

---