Award for Research Team in Ultrafast Spectroscopy

The researchers investigated the mechanisms of charge transfer in molecular donor-acceptor systems. In temperature-dependent measurements, they learned more about the sequence of these light-induced reactions in which an electron is transferred from one part of the light-activatable molecule to the other. In this way, they were able to identify a new mechanism with which the speed of transfer can be influenced. “We analysed how the distance between donor and acceptor affects the speed and efficiency of the transfer,” explains Maria Waechtler, head of the research group. The study was carried out in cooperation with the team from the Transregio Collaborative Research Centre CataLight. Scientists from Leibniz-IPHT, the University of Ulm and the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena are investigating new materials in order to use sunlight for water splitting and thus store energy in hydrogen.