"Photophysics, photochemistry and spectroscopy of polyatomic molecules"

“多原子分子的光物理学、光化学和光谱学”

• 批准号: 5983-2012
• 负责人: Steer, Ronald
• 金额: $ 6.56万
• 依托单位: University of Saskatchewan
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2012-01-01 至 2013-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=513219
• 关键词: Photophysics; photochemistry; spectroscopy; polyatomic; molecules

Chemical and physical processes initiated by light are central to life on earth. Early studies of natural light-driven processes such as photosynthesis and vision led curious minds inevitably to ask the most fundamental questions about these phenomena. "What is the nature of light?" "How does light interact with material substances and with what consequence?" The answers have provided the basis for new technologies, improvements in health, and wealth creation beyond the first questioners' wildest imaginations: xerography, fibre optic communications, optical data storage, artificial methods for the capture and storage of solar energy, photochemical methods of wastewater treatment, photodynamic therapy for some types of cancer and for macular degeneration. Whole industries are presently based on the generation of laser light and its use in photonic devices, micromachining and a host of other applications. More is on the horizon. Light-driven molecular logic devices, optical quantum computing, coherent control of photochemical and photophysical processes, more efficient photovoltaic devices, and numerous other applications are under active investigation. In our research group we continue to address fundamental questions about the chemical and physical effects of the absorption of light by matter, and the information we obtain continues to find application in these and other important areas. Our specific aims are to examine the structure and dynamic behaviour of molecules in highly excited electronic states. Fundamental research that we did 20 years ago now finds application in designing and fabricating light-harvesting polymers and shows how molecules of interest to us could be incorporated as switches and logic gates into light-driven molecular electronics devices. Over the last 5 years we have used our work on excited state photophysics to demonstrate proof of principle of a novel method for improving the efficiencies of dye-sensitized solar photovoltaic cells. The young scientists that have been trained in our laboratories may now be found in research and development, technical, teaching and administrative positions in universities, government laboratories and industries around the world.

由光引发的化学和物理过程对地球上的生命至关重要。对自然光驱动过程的早期研究，如光合作用和视觉，不可避免地引起了好奇的头脑对这些现象提出最基本的问题。“光的本质是什么？”“光如何与物质相互作用，又会产生什么后果？”这些答案为新技术、健康改善和财富创造提供了基础，超出了第一批提问者最疯狂的想象：静电照相、光纤通信、光学数据存储、捕获和储存太阳能的人工方法、废水处理的光化学方法、用于某些类型癌症和黄斑变性的光动力疗法。目前，整个工业都是基于激光的产生及其在光子器件、微机械加工和许多其他应用中的应用。更多的事情即将发生。光驱动分子逻辑器件、光量子计算、光化学和光物理过程的相干控制、更高效的光伏器件以及许多其他应用正在积极研究中。在我们的研究小组中，我们继续解决有关物质吸收光的化学和物理效应的基本问题，我们获得的信息继续在这些和其他重要领域得到应用。我们的具体目的是研究高激发态分子的结构和动态行为。我们20年前所做的基础研究现在发现了在设计和制造光收集聚合物方面的应用，并展示了我们感兴趣的分子如何作为开关和逻辑门被整合到光驱动的分子电子设备中。在过去的5年里，我们利用我们在激发态光物理方面的工作，证明了一种提高染料敏化太阳能光伏电池效率的新方法的原理。在我们实验室接受培训的年轻科学家现在可以在世界各地的大学、政府实验室和工业的研究和开发、技术、教学和行政职位上找到。