Piscosecond time-resolved absorption studies of the midgap absorption associated with photogenerated charged solitons in trans-polyacetylene are reported. Both direct photogeneration of charged-soliton pairs and neutral- to charged-soliton conversion are observed. The former are created by intrachain absorption and decay on a subpicosecond time scale. The latter are formed following interchain photoexcitation and are the dominant population of charged solitons at times greater than 20 ps.

• Received 9 September 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.57.3229