Project Goals
The aim is the real-time determination of ultrafast structural
dynamics of molecular and biomolecular systems in the condensed
phase.
This project aims at a real-time observation of ultrafast molecular
processes in the condensed phase, addressing the dynamics of elementary
excitations, photo-induced chemical reactions and ultrafast changes
of the electronic and/or chemical structure of molecular systems.
Hydrogen bond dynamics of constitute a major fraction of the research.
Chemical reactions studied include hydrogen and proton transfer,
electron transfer, bond fission, ring-opening/closure and cis/trans
isomerizations. These activities fall in the field of ultrafast
chemistry, also known as femtochemistry.
The project makes use of a broad range of experimental techniques
including all-optical pump-probe spectroscopy in a range from the
mid-infrared to soft-x-ray, infrared photon-echo and multidimensional
vibrational spectroscopies, and photoelectron spectroscopy using
ultrashort VUV pulses.

1. Femtosecond IR spectroscopy as
a tool to explore ultrafast hydrogen bond dynamics in hydrated DNA
Topics
Key Publications
CHE14 |
R. Costard, I. A. Heisler
and T. Elsaesser. |
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Structural dynamics of hydrated phospholipid surfaces
probed by ultrafast 2D spectroscopy of phosphate vibrations |
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Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 5 (2014) 506-51 |
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URL,
DOI or PDF-File |
SGL16 |
T. Siebert, B. Guchhait, Y. Liu, B. P. Fingerhut and T. Elsaesser. |
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Range, magnitude, and ultrafast dynamics of electric fields at the hydrated DNA surface |
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Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 7 (2016) 3131−3136 |
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URL,
DOI or PDF-File |
DCP16
|
F. Dahms, R. Costard, E. Pines, B. P. Fingerhut, E. T. J. Nibbering and T. Elsaesser. |
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The hydrated excess proton in the Zundel cation H5O2+: The role of ultrafast solvent fluctuations |
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Angewandte Chemie. International Edition 55 (2016) 10600–10605. |
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URL,
DOI or PDF-File |
EQF14
|
M. Ekimova, W. Quevedo, M. Faubel, Ph. Wernet and E. T. J. Nibbering |
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A liquid flatjet system for solution phase soft-X-ray spectroscopy |
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Structural Dynamics 2 (2015) 054301/1-13 |
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URL,
DOI or PDF-File |
BNY15 |
F. Buchner, A. Nakayama, S. Yamazaki, H.-H. Ritze and A. Lübcke |
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Excited-state relaxation of hydrated thymine and thymidine measured by liquid-jet photoelectron spectroscopy: experiment and simulation |
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Journal of American Chemical Society 137 (2015) 2931-2938 |
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URL,
DOI or PDF-File |
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Highlights
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