This presentation will report on the photophysics of a covalent organic polyhedron molecule (COP-5) that contains two porphyrin molecules in the cage structure and with an encapsulated C70 molecule bound in its core. The photo-induced electron transfer processes in this structure create anomalously long-lived charge-transfer states that also respond in an unconventional fashion to the dielectric constant of the solvent. Preliminary results on using this complex to sensitize the production of long-lived charge carriers in a conjugated polymer will also be reported, where the carrier yields and kinetics are tracked using time-resolved microwave conductivity.

The purpose of this work is to gain a better understanding of the nature of charge transfer (CT) and charge-separated (CS) states in the production of carriers in conjugated polymers blended with fullerenes.