PyCTRAMER: A Python package for charge transfer rate constant of condensed-phase systems from Marcus theory to Fermi’s golden rule

Abstract

In this work, we introduce PyCTRAMER, a comprehensive Python package designed for calculating charge transfer (CT) rate constants in disordered condensed-phase systems at finite temperatures, such as organic photovoltaic (OPV) materials. PyCTRAMER is a restructured and enriched version of the CTRAMER (Charge-Transfer RAtes from Molecular dynamics, Electronic structure, and Rate theory) package [Tinnin et al. J. Chem. Phys. 154, 214108 (2021)], enabling the computation of the Marcus CT rate constant and the six levels of the linearized semiclassical approximations of Fermi’s golden rule (FGR) rate constant. It supports various types of intramolecular and intermolecular CT transitions from the excitonic states to CT state. Integrating quantum chemistry calculations, all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, spin-boson model construction, and rate constant calculations, PyCTRAMER offers an automatic workflow for handling photoinduced CT processes in explicit solvent environments and interfacial CT in amorphous donor/acceptor blends. The package also provides versatile tools for individual workflow steps, including electronic state analysis, state-specific force field construction, MD simulations, and spin-boson model construction from energy trajectories. We demonstrate the software’s capabilities through two examples, highlighting both intramolecular and intermolecular CT processes in prototypical OPV systems.