
Solid-State Molecules Upconvert Visible Sunlight to UV Light in Breakthrough
Kyushu University researchers designed a solid-state organic material by attaching alkyl chains to dihydroindenoindenedene (DHI) to create precise gaps between molecules, enabling efficient triplet energy transfer. This yields a solid-state fluorescence quantum yield over 60% and, with a donor partner, about 1.9% visible-to-UV upconversion under outdoor solar light, opening possibilities for solar-driven photocatalysis, indoor air purification, and low-intensity 3D printing. A patent has been filed, highlighting the approach as a major step in photon upconversion and molecular self-assembly research.


