Layer-by-Layer Assembled Films of Perylene Diimide- and Squaraine-Containing Metal–Organic Framework-like Materials: Solar Energy Capture and Directional Energy Transfer

We demonstrate that thin films of metal-organic framework (MOF)-like materials, containing two perylenediimides (PDICl4, PDIOPh2) and a squaraine dye (S1), can be fabricated by layer-by-layer assembly (LbL). Interestingly, these LbL films absorb across the visible light region (400-750 nm) and facilitate directional energy transfer. Due to the high spectral overlap and oriented transition dipole moments of the donor (PDICl4 and PDIOPh2) and acceptor (S1) components, directional long-range energy transfer from the bluest to reddest absorber was successfully demonstrated in the multicomponent MOF-like films. These findings have significant implications for the development of solar energy conversion devices based on MOFs.