3.1 Dynamics of Condensed Phase Molecular Systems

Project coordinators: E. T. J. Nibbering, O. Kornilov

Project Goals

The aim is the real-time determination of ultrafast 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 and hydration dynamics 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 plethora of experimental techniques including all-optical pump-probe spectroscopy from the mid-infrared to the soft-x-ray spectral regions, infrared photon-echo and multidimensional vibrational spectroscopies, and photoelectron spectroscopy using ultrashort VUV pulses.

Our fundamental and basic research is divided into four core topics:
 

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