Photophysics and photochemistry of potentially useful materials

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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: laser technologies, 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 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, clearer biomedical imaging 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 30 years ago now finds*application in designing and fabricating light-harvesting polymers and shows*how molecules of interest to us could be incorporated into light-driven*molecular electronics devices as switches and logic gates. Over the last 6*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.