A general charge transport picture for organic semiconductors with nonlocal electron-phonon couplings

The nonlocal electron-phonon couplings in organic semiconductors responsible for the fluctuation of intermolecular transfer integrals has been the center of interest recently. Several irreconcilable scenarios coexist for the description of the nonlocal electron-phonon coupling, such as phonon-assisted transport, transient localization, and band-like transport. Through a nearly exact numerical study for the carrier mobility of the Holstein-Peierls model using the matrix product states approach, we locate the phonon-assisted transport, transient localization and band-like regimes as a function of the transfer integral (V) and the nonlocal electron-phonon couplings (Delta V), and their distinct transport behaviors are analyzed by carrier mobility, mean free path, optical conductivity and one-particle spectral function. We also identify an intermediate regime where none of the established pictures applies, and the generally perceived hopping regime is found to be at a very limited end in the proposed regime paradigm. Though research efforts have focused on elucidating the charge transport mechanism in crystalline organic semiconductors, a general transport model is still lacking. Here, the authors report a theoretical study of the carrier mobility in Holstein-Peierls model applied to organic semiconductors.

Automated summary

The nonlocal electron-phonon couplings in organic semiconductors responsible for the fluctuation of intermolecular transfer integrals have attracted recent interest. Through a numerical study of the Holstein-Peierls model, different scenarios like phonon-assisted transport, transient localization, and band-like transport were identified, each with distinct transport behaviors and characteristics. An intermediate regime was also identified where none of the established pictures applies, showing that the generally perceived hopping regime is limited within the proposed paradigm.