Catching photoactive materials in action
What? Absorption of sunlight in photoactive materials is the crucial process underlying the function of technologies such as solar cells or photocatalysts. We will develop the first experimental method to determine atomic structures of photoexcited materials. This will provide fundamental insight into quantum phenomena and allow design of novel light driven materials essential for the green transition. Why? The ultimate green energy source is sunlight, which can be converted to electricity in solar cells, or to chemical energy in light-driven reactions. Light may also be used to control switches in quantum technology, and overall, the green transition is unthinkable without ways to manipulate photon energy. However, current photoactive materials must be improved to allow us to reach sustainability. How? Atomic structure can be directly probed by X-ray diffraction. We will catch photoactive materials in action by developing ultrafast methods where crystals are continuously injected into an optical laser beam to absorb light and then immediately after hit by an X-ray Free Electron Laser pulse to allow us to measure X-ray diffraction with femtosecond time resolution on the photo-excited crystals.
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Imported from OpenAIRE | Grant CF24-1527.
Open sourceOverview
Grant agreement CF24-1527
Open sourceWhat? Absorption of sunlight in photoactive materials is the crucial process underlying the function of technologies such as solar cells or photocatalysts. We will develop the first experimental method to determine atomic structures of photoexcited materials. This will provide fundamental insight into quantum phenomena and allow design of novel light driven materials essential for the green transition. Why? The ultimate green energy source is sunlight, which can be converted to electricity in solar cells, or to chemical energy in light-driven reactions. Light may also be used to control switches in quantum technology, and overall, the green transition is unthinkable without ways to manipulate photon energy. However, current photoactive materials must be improved to allow us to reach sustainability. How? Atomic structure can be directly probed by X-ray diffraction. We will catch photoactive materials in action by developing ultrafast methods where crystals are continuously injected into an optical laser beam to absorb light and then immediately after hit by an X-ray Free Electron Laser pulse to allow us to measure X-ray diffraction with femtosecond time resolution on the photo-excited crystals.