Amplified Spontaneous Emission in Pentathienoacene Dioxides by Direct Optical Pump and by Energy Transfer: Correlation with Photophysical Parameters

Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) is observed, under optical pump, in polystyrene films doped with two pentathienoacene derivatives functionalised with thienyl‐S,S‐dioxide groups (compounds 2 and 3). The effect of the dioxide groups on the ASE properties is analysed by comparing the performance with that of its corresponding non‐oxidized analogue (1). Films containing either 2 or 3 show ASE at 511 and 574 nm, respectively, when excited directly (at 435 nm) on their absorption bands, showing thresholds and linewidths larger than those obtained from films doped with 1, pumped at 355 nm. ASE is also observed under excitation at 355 nm, in samples containing 1 (host) and either 2 or 3 (guests), due to energy transfer from host to guest. For the blends with 3, the ASE threshold is lower than that obtained when the films are excited directly. Results are interpreted in terms of the photophysical parameters such as absorption capacity, fluorescence efficiency, singlet‐to‐triplet intersystem crossing leading to triplet‐triplet re‐absorptions, bimolecular energy‐transfer efficiency, efficiency of internal conversion process, etc. State‐of‐the‐art quantum chemical calculations are used in the interpretation of the experimental results. Tuning amplified spontaneous emissions of organic dyes by isomeric mixtures of pentathienoacene and dioxide pentathienoacenes is achieved to design new lasing materials. The intense synergy effect between structurally familiar molecules is an old chemical concept that can be exploited here to efficiently promote energy exchange and lasing. A full understanding of the underlying photophysical mechanisms is provided.