CAREER: Manipulating Molecules and Motivating Students; Explorations of Energy Conversion through Adaptive Control and in New Educational Platforms

在这个奖项中，化学部的实验物理化学计划支持科罗拉多大学Niels Damrauer教授小组的基础化学科学研究工作的发展，以了解电荷和能量如何在复杂的凝聚相分子中流动。飞秒脉冲整形方法将被要求询问和控制在新的协调配合物的光化学途径。选择表现出光诱导电子转移反应性的系统，并合成新的金属络合物，其中预期内部运动调节光诱导电子转移反应的速率。如果自适应成形的激光场可以操纵这些运动，光化学控制是预期的。其他系统的开发，表现出激发态弛豫途径与电子转移竞争。该计划的这一方面旨在开发光谱方法，用于研究生产和非生产渠道之间的反应分支点的动力学现象。最后，努力发展脉冲成形的二维电子光谱的无机生色团和连接的意见，以控制的机会和机制。在该方案的教育推广部分，正在编制与可持续能源生产有关的课程，向科罗拉多的中学生散发，并协助5-8年级教师的专业发展。所考虑的主题的社会和环境的紧迫性应该激励年轻人参与基础科学探索，并在高中寻求进一步的科学培训。

In this award the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program of the Division of Chemistry supports the development of a fundamental chemical sciences research effort in the group of Professor Niels Damrauer at the University of Colorado to understand how charge and energy flow in complex condensed-phase molecules following absorption of light. Femtosecond pulse-shaping methodologies will be called upon to interrogate and control photochemical pathways in novel coordination complexes. Systems exhibiting photoinduced electron transfer reactivity are selected and new metal complexes are synthesized wherein internal motions are expected to modulate the rate of a photoinduced electron transfer reaction. Photochemical control is expected if adaptively shaped laser fields can manipulate these motions. Additional systems are developed that exhibit excited-state relaxation pathways competing with electron transfer. This aspect of the program aims to develop spectroscopic methods for studying dynamical phenomena at reactive branching points between productive and non-productive channels. Finally, efforts are made to develop pulse-shaping two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy of inorganic chromophores and to link the observations to both opportunities and mechanisms for control. In the educational outreach component of this program, curricula relating to sustainable energy production are being developed for dissemination to middle school students in Colorado and to assist in professional development for teachers of grades 5-8. The societal and environmental urgency of the topics considered should motivate young minds to engage in fundamental scientific exploration and to seek further scientific training in high school.