Fluorescent resonant excitation energy transfer in linear polyenes

Abstract

We have studied the dynamics of excitation transfer between two conjugated polyene molecules whose intermolecular separation is comparable to the molecular dimensions. We have employed a correlated electron model that includes both the charge-charge, charge-bond, and bond-bond intermolecular electron repulsion integrals. We have shown that the excitation transfer rate varies as inverse square of donor-acceptor separation R^-2 rather than as R^-6, suggested by the Förster type of dipolar approximation. Our time-evolution study also shows that the orientational dependence on excitation transfer at a fixed short donor-acceptor separation cannot be explained by Förster type of dipolar approximation beyond a certain orientational angle of rotation of an acceptor polyene with respect to the donor polyene. The actual excitation transfer rate beyond a certain orientational angle is faster than the Förster type of dipolar approximation rate. We have also studied the excitation transfer process in a pair of push-pull polyenes for different push-pull strengths. We have seen that, depending on the push-pull strength, excitation transfer could occur to other dipole coupled states. Our study also allows for the excitation energy transfer to optically dark states which are excluded by Förster theory since the one-photon transition intensity to these states (from the ground state) is zero.