Photochemical hole-burning in C60–H2TPP supramolecule doped polymer: a comparative study with the behaviour of separated H2TPP and C60 entities

We present optical spectroscopy measurements of a supramolecular assembly C60–H2TPP in poly-vinylbutyral (PVB) and compare its photophysical properties to separated C60 and H2TPP in PVB. Optical absorption and emission from the supramolecular assembly mainly appears as resulting from a superposition of the respective properties of the fullerene and porphyrin moieties. However, emission features unique to the supramolecule assembly are found and reported. Spectral hole-burning properties of the supramolecule are similar to those observed for separated C60 and H2TPP. This demonstrates that the phototautomerisation induced in the porphyrin moiety and thought to be responsible for the formation of the spectral hole is largely unaffected by the presence of the fullerene.