Abstract
Solitons and polarons in conducting polymers are strongly coupled electron-lattice excitations. The lattice relaxation theory generalized by us to include the self-consistency of multi-electron states with lattice symmetry-breaking is summarized. The discrete symmetries and corresponding selection rules for both radiative and nonradiative processes are discussed. Theoretically calculated probability of nonradiative decay of an electron-hole pair into a soliton pair and that of electron (hole) into polaron as well as the probability of soliton pair photo-generation is compared with results of numerical and laboratory experiments. The resonance Raman scattering data of cis-polyacetylene are interpreted in terms of a bipolaron model. The parameters involved are determined directly from experimental data. Other applications of lattice relaxation theory to conducting polymers are briefly mentioned.
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