The generation and spectral characterization of oligothiophenes radical cations. A pulse radiolysis investigation

Conjugated polymers and oligomers of thiophene have been employed in a numb er of electronic devices due to the change in their conductivity by several orders of magnitude when oxidized to their cationic states. The radical ca tions of oligothiophenes (nT), with number of rings n = 1-6, have been prod uced by pulse radiolysis for the first time and their spectra have been cha racterized. Electronic structure and transition energies are briefly discus sed in the light of semiempirical theoretical calculations. (C) 1999 Elsevi er Science Ltd. All rights reserved.