Molecular Vibrations in the Exciton Theory for Molecular Aggregates. II. Dimeric Systems

The theory of Part I of this series (McRae 1961) is developed in detail for dimeric systems. The simplest possible theory of the exciton states for a system of two non-rigid molecules is obtained through the use of perturbation theory. The theory makes possible the prediction of electronic band structures in absorption and fluorescence spectra as functions of the theoretical Davydov splitting for two rigid molecules. Numerical calculations are made for a dimer of a typical dye, and the results are compared with the observed absorption spectrum of the 1,1'-diethyl-2,2'-pyridocyanine iodide dimer.