Quantum coherence governs macroscopic polymorphism in organic semiconductors

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that quantum coherence influences the macroscopic polymorphism of organic semiconductors, enabling controlled crystal structure formation through environmental decoherence management.

Contribution

It introduces the DIME framework linking quantum entanglement with organic crystal assembly, revealing a quantum-level control mechanism for polymorphism in organic semiconductors.

Findings

Quantum coherence governs CuPc polymorphism during vapor deposition.

Weak environmental decoherence preserves molecular matter wave coherence.

A new polymorph, ω-CuPc, was synthesized via quantum-informed reactor design.

Abstract

The wave-particle duality of massive macromolecules -- such as the fullerene C$_{60}$ -- is a well-established quantum phenomenon. However, whether the quantum behavior of large organic molecules actively dictates the macroscopic structure and function of synthetic materials remains unknown. In organic semiconductors, crystal polymorphism fundamentally determines optoelectronic performance, yet classical thermodynamic models consistently fail to resolve the microscopic origins of phase selection. This includes the long-standing anomaly of divergent polymorph formation under identical thermodynamic parameters across different reactor scales. Here we show that the polymorphism of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc, 576 Da) -- a planar macromolecule comparable in mass to C$_{60}$ -- is governed by quantum coherence during atmospheric-pressure organic vapor phase deposition (OVPD). We establish the Dissipative structure field-Induced Multipartite Entanglement (DIME) framework, which integrates ambient blackbody radiation, molecular de Broglie wavelengths, and frontier orbital directionality to model field-driven quantum entanglement. We demonstrate that exceptionally weak environmental decoherence at room temperature preserves the coherence of molecular matter waves, enabling the self-assembly of ultralong ($>1$ cm) single-crystalline $\eta$-CuPc nanowires. By leveraging the DIME framework to manipulate environmental decoherence, we rationally designed an OVPD reactor to synthesize a previously undiscovered polymorph, designated $\omega$-CuPc. Our findings reveal that multipartite quantum entanglement acts as the decisive regulator of organic crystal assembly, opening a deterministic, quantum-level pathway for engineering organic semiconductor polymorphism.