Quantifying through-space charge transfer dynamics in π-coupled molecular systems 

Arunabh Batra, Gregor Kladnik, Héctor Vázquez, Jeffrey S. Meisner, Luca Floreano, Colin Nuckolls, Dean Cvetko, Alberto Morgante, Latha Venkataraman

http://www.nature.com/ncomms/journal/v3/n9/full/ncomms2083.html

In this paper, through space charge transfer is studied in the context of para-cyclophanes on gold (111).  Aside, from XPS and NEXAFS, this study utilizes resonant photoemission spectroscopy (RPES) core-hole clock method, previously used to measure femtosecond (fs) charge-transfer times between molecule–metal interfaces like C60, aromatic thiols, amines and donor–acceptor complexes on Au (111). They find that the charge transfer time across the π-system of 44PCP (a) is about 20 times slower than across that of 22PCP (b), and attribute this longer charge transfer time to poor through-space coupling between the rings of the molecule.