Ultrafast optical spectroscopy of interactions and energy transfer in single molecules

Abstract: The aim of this project is the investigation of concerted and sequential molecular switching in nanoscopic coordination compounds under optical energy injection by ultrafast optical spectroscopy. The compounds comprise multinuclear single molecules which show a distinct switching and interaction behaviour upon thermal or electro-magnetical excitation. The vast majority of all reactions occur within a sequential mechanism, whereas concerted inorganic reactions are not yet understood. The exploration of the associated conversion and transport of the optically injected energy and of the nature of this concerted reaction is the main focus. The importance of the excited states and their lifetimes and spin-flip mechanisms of the macro molecules will be addressed via ultrafast magnetooptical spectroscopy.

There is a close collaboration with the project “Concerted and sequential switching in nanoscopic compounds” in which the design, synthesis and characterisation of such compounds will be performed. The two projects will feed-back on each other and allow optimizing the synthesis and exploring the nature of the switching and interaction behaviour.