Our goals:
Biological systems, such as enzymes and proteins, or artificial systems, such as MOFs, exhibit an astonishing diversity in optimizing chemical reactions, transporting or storing substances and transmitting signals. Their special environment drastically reduces the energy required for chemical reactions or binding/transport of molecules and ions.
Our goal is to develop a detailed understanding of these processes at the molecular level and in real time. To achieve this, we need to characterize all individual steps and critically examine possible mechanisms.
Methods:
We use linear and non-linear spectroscopy in the x-ray, UV, visible, infrared and THz range to follow the electronic and molecular properties of substances in real time on a time scale from femtoseconds to seconds.
Our focus is on ultrafast spectroscopy in the visible and infrared spectral range to characterize ultrafast processes from the very beginning.
To this end, we continue to develop our light sources in order to be able to carry out experiments that are optimally adapted to our needs.
Results:
We train students and PhD students in linear and non-linear optics and enable them to perform cutting-edge research on interesting systems. The aim is to publish the results in renowned scientific journals and to give students and PhD students an insight into current research activities.
Our results answer unresolved questions about reaction mechanisms, transport and storage properties and are intended to show possibilities for developing new materials with relevant functions.
