non-radiative transitions

Non-radiative transitions are processes where an excited molecule or atom returns to a lower energy state without emitting light or photons. Instead, the energy is released as heat, often transferred to surrounding molecules through vibrations or collisions. These transitions happen when the energy levels of the molecule allow a direct transfer of energy to its environment, avoiding photon emission. They play a key role in phenomena like fluorescence quenching and impact the efficiency of devices such as LEDs and solar cells, where minimizing non-radiative losses is often desirable for better performance.