Determination of the distance-dependent electron transfer rate constant employing the kinetics of luminescence quenching in solids Original Research Article

We try to find the distance dependence of the electron transfer rate constant from the luminescence quenching kinetics in solids assuming that no functional form of this dependence is known a priori. The existence of a solution and the problem of a set of solutions are considered. An original numerical procedure of solution is developed. This procedure needs only a solution of a system of linear equations under non-negative restrictions. An application of the approach developed to some real luminescence kinetics is presented and an example of interpretation of results is given. The conclusion is made that the distance dependence of the electron transfer rate constant may have a non-exponential form. The approach presented may be used for the interpretation of experimental quenching kinetics even if a noticeable anisotropy and structural effects are expected.