Coherent Multidimensional Spectroscopy of Earth-Abundant Molecular Photosensitizers: Towards Rational Design

My project aims to guide the rational design of earth-abundant transition metal complexes (TMCs) for light-harvesting using advanced spectroscopic methods.

A challenge with photosensitizers or photocatalysts (i.e. light harvesters) based on earth-abundant metals has been realization of desirable photophysical parameters, such as a long lifetime of their energetic excited states.

Although use of certain ligands has greatly improved the accessible properties in the last years, more remains to be done to fully replicate the properties found in TMCs based on rare metals.

Using these so-called broadband and multidimensional spectroscopic techniques, one can gain deeper mechanistic insight into the excited state decay dynamics, and determine precisely what factors influence the energetics and lifetimes of the excited states.

Furthermore, the nature and behaviour of the excited state after photoexcitation, e.g. charge distribution, can also be elucidated. This in turn can inform synthetic modification and result in enhanced properties.

I will carry out the research at Princeton University (16 months) and Uppsala University (8 months) under the guidance of Profs. Scholes and Maj, where complementary expertise in two-dimensional electronic and infrared spectroscopy are available. I will lead the proposed work and perform all photophysical characterization.

The project outcomes will enable the realization of greatly improved photoactive complexes for sustainable energy solutions.