Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) underlies myriad phenomena in chemistry and physics. Arbitrary manipulation of spin-orbit coupling would enable precise control over such parameters as magnetic anisotropy, the sensitivity of quantum sensors, and even the selectivity of certain catalytic processes. Herein, I describe my efforts directed towards utilizing SOC as a handle...
This dissertation describes the study of photoinduced charge transfer between QDs and molecular acceptors as a probe of the defects within ligand shells of QDs and as means to photocatalyze redox reactions. For charge transfer reactions to occur between QDs and molecules in bulk solution, the molecules must interact with...
Over the past 15 years, there have been significant developments in expanding the singlet fission (SF) library and understanding the SF mechanism. SF has been a topic of interest in recent years due to its potential applications in organic photovoltaics. During SF, a singlet exciton energetically down-converts into two triplet...
Colloidal crystals are promising candidates for nanophotonic applications due to their strong interactions with light and the capability to tailor such interactions through crystal design and engineering. DNA-programmable assembly, in particular, allows for precise structural control down to the sub-nanometer length scale. In this thesis, ways of designing, synthesizing, and...
Numerous photophysical processes in both natural and artificial systems are dictated by the interaction between chromophores. For example, in photosynthesis, light is absorbed by an antenna complex composed of an array of chlorophyll chromophores that collectively transfer the energy to the reaction center where interactions between a series of redox...
Increasing industrialization and the resulting negative environmental impacts highlight the need to develop alternative renewable energy sources. The Sun is a massive source and organic solar cells are a growing field of study. As new materials are synthesized, the efficiencies of organic solar cells continue to grow, but without an...
The development and use of organic anionic chromophores that absorb the entire visible spectrum & into the near-infrared region while providing highly reducing equivalents is pinnacle for artificial photosynthesis. This dissertation investigates the rational design of new donor-acceptor systems for artificial photosynthesis that couple naphthalene diimide (NDI)/perylene diimide (PDI) radical...
Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) is a powerful phenomenon that dictates the functional properties of transition metal complexes essential for information processing, catalysis, and magnetism. Though it is relegated to lower energy scales within the orbital description of first-row transition metal complexes, SOC impacts crucial aspects of electronic structure such as promoting...
Human skin oils are significant scavengers of atmospheric oxidants in occupied indoor environments. Many techniques used to study gas-phase transformations of surface films indoors have been limited to off-line bulk analysis, although more surface-selective methodologies are emerging. Here, we present a multi-prong analytical approach to characterizing skin oil ozonolysis. Skin...
This thesis document is comprised of three research projects. The first investigates the active vibrational modes involved in twisted intramolecular charge transfer in a Julolidine-BODIPY dyad using two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy along with DFT calculations. We identified two types of vibrations, compression and torsional motion, as playing an important role in...