New ultrafast laser equipment, capable of generating intense pulses of light as short as a few femtoseconds from the UV to the Infra Red, will help scientists at the University of East Anglia measure how energy is transferred from molecule to molecule and point the way to molecular structures for exploiting solar radiation.
The new laser will be used for 2D electronic spectroscopy experiments that look at the very fastest reactions. By studying how energy transfers in natural and artificial systems such as proteins and molecular materials, researchers will in turn be able to help the design of new nanomachines and solar power collectors.
Steve Meech, Professor of Chemistry at UEA’s said:
“With this equipment we will be able to develop experiments which probe in exquisite detail the link between the efficiency of light driven processes in natural and synthetic systems and the underlying molecular architecture.”
2D electronic spectroscopy is in many ways analogous to the much better known 2D Nuclear Magnetic Resonance method. It uses ultra fast visible light pulses to reveal coupling between electronic states whereas NMR uses radio frequency pulses to measure couplings between nuclear spins.
Twenty years ago most ultrafast experiments relied upon amplified dye lasers. These difficult to use and unstable devices severely limited the range of experiments possible. Starting with the discovery of the Titanium Sapphire laser, a whole new family of experiments became possible.
“It is because of the amazing stability and reliability of these modern devices that we can even consider 2D optical experiments, which may take days to run”, added Meech.
This story is reprinted from material from the EPSRC with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.