The fields of optical functional materials, organic semiconductors, or organic opto-electronic devices require the basic knowledge of optical properties and photophysical processes of organic molecules and molecular complexes. With these applications in mind, the course uses the quantum-mechanical description of optical transitions to explain photophysical processes occurring on isolated organic molecules. Based on this knowledge, the course further explains both strong (exciton coupling) and weak (energy transfer) dipole-dipole interactions in molecular aggregates, examines the effect of external fields, the confinement of light, and introduces differences between organic materials and inorganic semiconducting nanostructures. As the advanced optical nanoscale characterization methods the course explains the principle of single-molecule spectroscopy, high-resolution optical spectroscopy and super-resolution microscopy. The course is given entirely in English.
Within the broad field of soft matter physics, this course focuses on optical properties and optical function of organic materials. The aim of the course is to gain understanding of the basic photophysical properties and processes on organic molecules as well as on organic semiconductors and related opto-electronic devices. In addition, the course will introduce the latest optical methods for material nanoscale characterization, such as single-molecule spectroscopy, high-resolution optical spectroscopy and super-resolution microscopy.
The knowledge of basic optical properties, and especially, photophysical processes, is indispensable for the understanding of the basic principles of organic semiconductor-based devices, such as organic light-emitting diodes, organic solar cells, organic field-effect transistors or displays. The course starts with the description of optical transitions, and continues with photophysical processes, intermolecular interactions, the concept of excitons, and finally concludes with advanced optical nanoscale characterization methods.
Photophysics, organic molecules, organic materials, optical spectroscopy
✔ Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | Communication skills | Critical thinking skills | Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
The first 15 minutes of each class will be used to review the contents of the previous class and to explain solutions of problems. The course itself is often based on theoretical quantum-mechanical treatment but this is supplemented with practical examples of the phenomena on real materials. Students are required to understand the contents of each lecture and review it for the next class.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Optical transition, Fermi’s golden rule, optical Bloch equations | transition dipole moment |
Class 2 | Photophysical processes on organic molecules, excited states | photophysical processes |
Class 3 | Molecular aggregates, strong interaction, Frenkel exciton | Frenkel exciton |
Class 4 | Inorganic semiconductor nanoparticles, confinement effect, Wanier exciton | Wanier exciton |
Class 5 | Weak intermolecular interaction, energy transfer | energy transfer |
Class 6 | Light confinement effect, spontaneous emission engineering | light confinement effect |
Class 7 | External field effects, Stark effect, Zeeman effect | Stark effect |
Class 8 | Optical nanoscale characterization methods, single-molecule spectroscopy, super-resolution microscopy | single-molecule spectroscopy |
English-text handouts
W.W. Parson: Modern Optical Spectroscopy. Springer, 2007
Understanding of contents of the lecture and the ability to use it will be evaluated. Final report 90%, short tests and homeworks 10%.
Not required