Research Interests

• Nature of the molecular backbone: heteroatoms, conjugation length, push-pull systems, low bandgap materials, quinoid systems etc.
  
• Impact of substituents and torsional flexibility
  
• Matrix effects: temperature and rigidity
  
• Intermolecular Interactions: intermolecular arrangement, exciton diffusion
  
• Model compounds Inter-chromophore interactions: covalently bridged dimers
  

Materials

• Solution
• Suspended nanoparticles
• Vapor-deposited films
• Single crystals
• Liquid crystals
• Host guest compounds (perhydrotriphenylene, zeolites).

Methods

Experimental

• UV/Vis-spectroscopy (polarized, angular-resolved)
• Fluorescence spectroscopy (steady-state, polarized, angular-resolved, time-resolved, temperature dependent with open and closed-cycle He-cryostats, fluorescence quantum yields)
• Fluorescence microscopy (two-photon excitation, time-resolved, polarized)
• Dynamic light-scattering spectroscopy
• Static light-scattering spectroscopy (polarized, angular- and wavelength resolved)
• Reflectance spectroscopy
• Raman microscopy
• Preparation techniques: (i) nanoparticle suspensions by precipitation techniques, (ii) organic thin films by vapour-deposition, (iii) host-guest compounds by co-crystallization from solution and from the melt

Theoretical Modeling

• Quantum chemical calculations: electronic structure, optical transitions / spectra, Raman and IR active vibrational modes, conformational studies, intermolecular interactions)
  Methods: ab initio (TD) HF and DFT, semi-empirical AM1, PM3, ZINDO/S

• (Semi-)classical methods
  - Solvent shifts: Lorentz reaction field, Onsager solvent models
  - Vibronic coupling: Franck-Condon approach
  - Inhomogeneous broadening: Thermal excitations of torsional modes, environment
  - Intermolecular interactions: Kasha's exciton model, reaction field methods
  - Energy transfer: generalized Förster theory, Markov / MC descriptions
  - Light scattering: Mie theory, anisotropic Rayleigh

Joint Projects

• since 2006 Coordination of a Research Training Network, funded by the European Community (with Dr. H.-J. Egelhaaf, IPTC, University of Tübingen, Germany): Supramolecular Nanostructured Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Systems
  
  Herein active collaborations with D. Beljonne & J. Cornil (Mons, B), R. Janssen (Eindhoven, NL), Luisa de Cola (Münster, D), A. Meixner (Tübingen, D), H.-J. Egelhaaf (Nürnberg, D), A. Prodi-Schwab (Marl, D), S. Brasselet (Marseille, F), R. Tubino & F. Meinardi (Milan, I), C. Botta (Milano, I), G. Bongiovanni & A Mura (Cagliari, I) J. Hulliger (Bern, CH), G. Calzaferri (Bern, CH), M. Hanack (Tübingen, D).
• since 2008 Soo Young Park, Seoul National University (South Korea) Novel materials for optoelectronic applications
• since 2008 Henk Bolink & Enrique Ortí, University of Valencia (E) Ir-complex dyads
• since 2007 Gianluca Farinola, University of Bari (I) Fluorinated oligophenylenes
• since 2007 Martin Heeney, Queen Mary University (UK) Selenophenes
• since 2007 Mark Watson, University of Kentucky (USA) Electronc and optical properties of novel PPE-type polymers and air-stable n-type stable oligomers
• since 2007 John Anthony, University of Kentucky (USA) Substituent Effect in TIPS pentacenes
• since 2007 Carlos Silva, University of Montreal (CA) Exciton transport in molecular crystals
• since 2007 Begoña Milián Medina, University of Valencia (E) Substituent and Backbone Effects
• since 2000 Roberto Martinez Alvarez, University Complutense Madrid (E) Optical properties of Oligophenylenevinylenes
• since 1995 Michel Hanack, University of Tübingen (D) Optical properties of Oligophenylenevinylenes

• 2002 - 2006 Coordination of a Research Training Network, funded by the European Community (together with Dr. H.-J. Egelhaaf, IPTC, University of Tübingen, Germany): Molecules in Nanochannels - Synthesis, Spectroscopy and Applications
  
  · Prof. M. Hanack, Tübingen (D): synthesis and preparation
  · Dr. J. Cornil, Dr. D. Beljonne, Mons (B): theoretical characterization
  · Prof. J. Zyss, Prof. I. Ledoux, Dr. S. Brasselet, Cachan (F): NLO properties
  · Prof. C. Botta, Prof. G. Di Silvestro, Prof. R. Tubino, Milan (I)
  · Prof. G. Calzaferri, Bern (CH): zeolite systems
  · Prof. G. Bongiovanni, Prof. A. Mura, Cagliari (I): time-resolved fluorescence
  · Dr. D. Pullini, CRF, Torino (I): devices
• 2007 - 2008 Peter Bäuerle & Elena Mena-Osteritz, Ulm (D) EDOT-type materials
• 2007 - 2009 Greg Scholes, Toronto (Ca) Exciton Relaxation in MEHPPV chains
• 2008 Juan Cabanillas, Milano (I) Subsitituent effects in Oligofluorenes
• 2005 - 2007 Dr. J. Kim, Prof. R. Friend, Cambridge (UK) Molecular Conformation and Raman-activity
• 2005 - 2006 Prof. Y. Geerts, Brussels (B) and Prof. A. Köhler, Potsdam (Germany) Modeling of Intermolecular Interaction in Fluorescent Liquid Crystals
• 2003 - 2005 Prof. G. C. Bazan, University of California (USA)
  Spectroscopy on Oligophenylenevinylene Single Crystals
• 2000 - 2004 PD Dr. H.-G. Mack, IPTC, University of Tübingen, Germany
  Ab initio calculations of the optical properties of p-conjugated organic molecules
• 1998 - 1999 Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma KG, Biberach (Germany)
  Dynamic and angular resolved static light scattering spectroscopy of nanoparticle suspensions and emulsions
• 1997 - 1999 Beckman Coulter Inc., Krefeld (Germany)
  Dynamic light scattering spectroscopy of nanoparticle suspensions
• 1997 Prof. P. C. Schmidt, Pharmaceutical Institute, University of Tübingen, Germany, Reflectance spectroscopy on dyes absorbed on zeolites

 

 

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