In this project funded by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms program of the Chemistry Division, Professor Graham Fleming of the University of California, Berkeley will develop and extend spectroscopic methods for the study of quantum confined systems such as carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, and molecular systems. The approach is to use two-dimensional ultrafast electronic spectroscopy to simplify spectra, and to reveal fundamental quantum mechanical aspects of the dynamics. Very high time resolution, various polarization sequences, and mixed time-frequency methods will be applied to reveal fundamental aspects of complex quantum systems. The broader impacts involve disseminating the new techniques world-wide, engaging a very wide range of audiences in the issues of energy security and climate change, educating and inspiring young women from high-risk underserved areas of the local area, and developing distance learning opportunities for students in school science programs.
This work will expand the understanding of quantum confined systems for opto-electronic applications ranging from display technology to the conversion of solar energy to electricity and/or chemical energy.
New kinds of carbon based materials such as carbon nanotubes and graphene hold great promise for novel low-cost electronics, displays and devices. For this reason it is important to understand how optical excitations, electrons and associated positive charges ("holes") move, interact and decay in, for example, carbon nanotubes. This requires making observations on very short timescales via femtosecond (10-15s) spectroscopy. New types of experiment and theory were developed to allow us to characterize the phenomena and their timescales. The information gained in this project should aid in the design of the opto-electronic devices for the ultrafast electronic devices society increasingly will need as Moore's Law finally runs out of steam. In a parallel effort the highly promising quantum computing material nitrogen vacancy (NV) diamond was studied using similar techniques to the nanotubes. This system opens up the possibility of using NV diamond for quantum storage and information processing based on both the crystal vibrations and electron spin. The Broader Impacts of this work resulted in eight former students or postdocs (four of whom are women) obtaining faculty positions. My group was active in women in science issues, in bringing chemistry to grade school classrooms and in bringing high school students to campus to discuss career options, particularly for women.
