# Exciton Relaxation in Carbon Nanotubes via Electronic-to-Vibrational Energy Transfer

## TL;DR

This paper develops a theoretical framework for electronic-to-vibrational energy transfer (EVET) in covalently functionalized carbon nanotubes, explaining exciton relaxation and matching experimental relaxation times.

## Contribution

It introduces a general theory of EVET and applies it to localized excitons in functionalized CNTs, providing insights into their relaxation mechanisms.

## Key findings

- EVET relaxation times agree with experimental data
- Localized excitons have extended lifetimes due to restricted diffusion
- EVET is a significant relaxation pathway for defect-localized excitons

## Abstract

Covalent functionalization of semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes (CNT) introduces new photoluminescent emitting states. Theses states are spatially localized at around functionalization sites and strongly red-shifted relative to the emission commonly observed from the nanotube band-edge exciton state. A particularly important feature of these localized exciton states is that, because the exciton is no longer free to diffusively sample photoluminescent quenching sites along the CNT length, its lifetime is significantly extended. We have recently demonstrated that an important relaxation channel of such localized excitons is the electronic-to-vibrational energy transfer (EVET). This process is analogous to the F\"orster resonance energy transfer (FRET) except the final state of this process is not electronically, but vibrationally excited molecules of the surrounding medium (e.g., solvent). In this work we develop the general theory of EVET, and apply it to the specific case of EVET-mediated relaxation of defect-localized excitons in covalently functionalized CNT. The resulting EVET relaxation times are in good agreement with experimental data.