Time-Resolved Infrared Spectroscopy: A Powerful Tool for Unraveling Photophysical Processes in Organic Photovoltaics

Abstract Understanding the photophysical processes that govern energy conversion─from exciton generation and charge separation to vibrational energy flow and nonradiative recombination─is fundamental to elucidating the mechanisms of energy-conversion processes and to identifying strategies for breaking through efficiency bottlenecks in organic photovoltaics. Time-resolved infrared spectroscopy, sensitive to both electronic and structural perturbations, serves as a powerful tool for revealing these dynamics across multiple time scales and molecular sites. In this perspective, we discuss how time-resolved infrared spectroscopic techniques provide direct and unique evidence for these dynamic processes in organic photovoltaics, and we outline a roadmap for integrating advanced IR methods with next-generation OPV research to accelerate both fundamental understanding and material innovation.