Polarons in wide-band-gap molecular materials: Polysilanes

Illumination of polysilanes leads to the formation of free charge carriers. Due to the charge–phonon coupling and molecule deformation, polarons are formed. Their occurrence can be detected by thermostimulated luminescence (TSL). Polaron binding energy Ep can be determined by fitting experimental dependences of charge carrier mobility vs. applied electric field measured at different temperatures. Ep for poly[methyl(phenyl)silylene] films was found to be 0.29 eV.