In this award, funded by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program of the Division of Chemistry, Professor Paul F. Barbara of the University of Texas at Austin along with his graduate students plans to perform single molecule spectroscopy experiments to investigate the nature of deeply trapped holes in organic semiconductor materials. The group will use electrochemical single molecule spectroscopy and fluorescence-voltage single molecule spectroscopy measurements to identify the chemical nature of these species and to study their dynamics. The ultimate goal of this research is to help scientists and engineers improve the performance of organic electronic devices.
Besides the broader scientific and technological impact of this research, Prof. Barbara will provide his research students with a unique interdisciplinary graduate research experience. Prof. Barbara will also continue his work in outreach and education activities in such programs as "Nano at the Border," which have a significant impact on underprivileged Hispanic undergraduates at the US/Mexico border universities.
