| 1. |
- Biasin, Elisa, et al.
(författare)
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Femtosecond X-Ray Scattering Study of Ultrafast Photoinduced Structural Dynamics in Solvated[Co(terpy)2]2$
- 2016
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Ingår i: Physical Review Letters. - : American Physical Society (APS). - 1079-7114 .- 0031-9007. ; 117:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We study the structural dynamics of photoexcited [Co(terpy)2]2+ in an aqueous solution with ultrafast x-ray diffuse scattering experiments conducted at the Linac Coherent Light Source. Through direct comparisons with density functional theory calculations, our analysis shows that the photoexcitation event leads to elongation of the Co-N bonds, followed by coherent Co-N bond length oscillations arising from the impulsive excitation of a vibrational mode dominated by the symmetrical stretch of all six Co-N bonds. This mode has a period of 0.33 ps and decays on a subpicosecond time scale. We find that the equilibrium bond-elongated structure of the high spin state is established on a single-picosecond time scale and that this state has a lifetime of ∼7 ps.
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| 2. |
- Canton, Sophie E., et al.
(författare)
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Ultrafast Jahn-Teller Photoswitching in Cobalt Single-Ion Magnets
- 2023
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Ingår i: Advanced Science. - 2198-3844. ; 10:21
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Single-ion magnets (SIMs) constitute the ultimate size limit in the quest for miniaturizing magnetic materials. Several bottlenecks currently hindering breakthroughs in quantum information and communication technologies could be alleviated by new generations of SIMs displaying multifunctionality. Here, ultrafast optical absorption spectroscopy and X-ray emission spectroscopy are employed to track the photoinduced spin-state switching of the prototypical complex [Co(terpy)2]2+ (terpy = 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine) in solution phase. The combined measurements and their analysis supported by density functional theory (DFT), time-dependent-DFT (TD-DFT) and multireference quantum chemistry calculations reveal that the complex undergoes a spin-state transition from a tetragonally elongated doublet state to a tetragonally compressed quartet state on the femtosecond timescale, i.e., it sustains ultrafast Jahn-Teller (JT) photoswitching between two different spin multiplicities. Adding new Co-based complexes as possible contenders in the search for JT photoswitching SIMs will greatly widen the possibilities for implementing magnetic multifunctionality and eventually controlling ultrafast magnetization with optical photons.
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| 3. |
- Canton, Sophie, et al.
(författare)
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Toward Highlighting the Ultrafast Electron Transfer Dynamics at the Optically Dark Sites of Photocatalysts
- 2013
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Ingår i: The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1948-7185. ; 4:11, s. 1972-1976
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Building a detailed understanding of the structure function relationship is a crucial step in the optimization of molecular photocatalysts employed in water splitting schemes. The optically dark nature of their active sites usually prevents a complete mapping of the photoinduced dynamics. In this work, transient X-ray absorption spectroscopy highlights the electronic and geometric changes that affect such a center in a bimetallic model complex. Upon selective excitation of the ruthenium chromophore, the cobalt moiety is reduced through intramolecular electron transfer and undergoes a spin flip accompanied by an average bond elongation of 0.20 +/- 0.03 angstrom. The analysis is supported by simulations based on density functional theory structures (B3LYP*/TZVP) and FEFF 9.0 multiple scattering calculations. More generally, these results exemplify the large potential of the technique for tracking elusive intermediates that impart unique functionalities in photochemical devices.
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| 4. |
- Canton, Sophie, et al.
(författare)
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Visualizing the non-equilibrium dynamics of photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer with femtosecond X-ray pulses.
- 2015
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ultrafast photoinduced electron transfer preceding energy equilibration still poses many experimental and conceptual challenges to the optimization of photoconversion since an atomic-scale description has so far been beyond reach. Here we combine femtosecond transient optical absorption spectroscopy with ultrafast X-ray emission spectroscopy and diffuse X-ray scattering at the SACLA facility to track the non-equilibrated electronic and structural dynamics within a bimetallic donor-acceptor complex that contains an optically dark centre. Exploiting the 100-fold increase in temporal resolution as compared with storage ring facilities, these measurements constitute the first X-ray-based visualization of a non-equilibrated intramolecular electron transfer process over large interatomic distances. Experimental and theoretical results establish that mediation through electronically excited molecular states is a key mechanistic feature. The present study demonstrates the extensive potential of femtosecond X-ray techniques as diagnostics of non-adiabatic electron transfer processes in synthetic and biological systems, and some directions for future studies, are outlined.
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| 5. |
- Fredin, Lisa, et al.
(författare)
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Exceptional Excited-State Lifetime of an Iron(II)-N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complex Explained
- 2014
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Ingår i: The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1948-7185. ; 5:12, s. 2066-2071
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Earth-abundant transition-metal complexes are desirable for sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells or photocatalysts. Iron is an obvious choice, but the energy level structure of its typical polypyridyl complexes, featuring low-lying metal-centered states, has made such complexes useless as energy converters. Recently, we synthesized a novel iron-N-heterocyclic carbene complex exhibiting a remarkable 100-fold increase of the lifetime compared to previously known iron(II) complexes. Here, we rationalize the measured excited-state dynamics with DFT and TD-DFT calculations. The calculations show that the exceptionally long excited-state lifetime (similar to 9 ps) is achieved for this Fe complex through a significant destabilization of both triplet and quintet metal-centered scavenger states compared to other Feu complexes. In addition, a shallow (MLCT)-M-3 potential energy surface with a low-energy transition path from the (MLCT)-M-3 to (MC)-M-3 and facile crossing from the (MC)-M-3 state to the ground state are identified as key features for the excited-state deactivation.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Kjær, Kasper S., et al.
(författare)
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Finding intersections between electronic excited state potential energy surfaces with simultaneous ultrafast X-ray scattering and spectroscopy
- 2019
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Ingår i: Chemical Science. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2041-6520 .- 2041-6539. ; 10:22, s. 5749-5760
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Light-driven molecular reactions are dictated by the excited state potential energy landscape, depending critically on the location of conical intersections and intersystem crossing points between potential surfaces where non-adiabatic effects govern transition probabilities between distinct electronic states. While ultrafast studies have provided significant insight into electronic excited state reaction dynamics, experimental approaches for identifying and characterizing intersections and seams between electronic states remain highly system dependent. Here we show that for 3d transition metal systems simultaneously recorded X-ray diffuse scattering and X-ray emission spectroscopy at sub-70 femtosecond time-resolution provide a solid experimental foundation for determining the mechanistic details of excited state reactions. In modeling the mechanistic information retrieved from such experiments, it becomes possible to identify the dominant trajectory followed during the excited state cascade and to determine the relevant loci of intersections between states. We illustrate our approach by explicitly mapping parts of the potential energy landscape dictating the light driven low-to-high spin-state transition (spin crossover) of [Fe(2,2′-bipyridine)3]2+, where the strongly coupled nuclear and electronic dynamics have been a source of interest and controversy. We anticipate that simultaneous X-ray diffuse scattering and X-ray emission spectroscopy will provide a valuable approach for mapping the reactive trajectories of light-triggered molecular systems involving 3d transition metals.
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| 8. |
- Kunnus, Kristjan, et al.
(författare)
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Vibrational wavepacket dynamics in Fe carbene photosensitizer determined with femtosecond X-ray emission and scattering
- 2020
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-1723. ; 11:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The non-equilibrium dynamics of electrons and nuclei govern the function of photoactive materials. Disentangling these dynamics remains a critical goal for understanding photoactive materials. Here we investigate the photoinduced dynamics of the [Fe(bmip)2]2+ photosensitizer, where bmip = 2,6-bis(3-methyl-imidazole-1-ylidine)-pyridine, with simultaneous femtosecond-resolution Fe Kα and Kβ X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) and X-ray solution scattering (XSS). This measurement shows temporal oscillations in the XES and XSS difference signals with the same 278 fs period oscillation. These oscillations originate from an Fe-ligand stretching vibrational wavepacket on a triplet metal-centered (3MC) excited state surface. This 3MC state is populated with a 110 fs time constant by 40% of the excited molecules while the rest relax to a 3MLCT excited state. The sensitivity of the Kα XES to molecular structure results from a 0.7% average Fe-ligand bond length shift between the 1 s and 2p core-ionized states surfaces.
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| 9. |
- Naumova, Maria A., et al.
(författare)
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Nonadiabatic Charge Transfer within Photoexcited Nickel Porphyrins
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. - 1948-7185. ; 15:13, s. 3627-3638
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Metalloporphyrins with open d-shell ions can drive biochemical energy cycles. However, their utilization in photoconversion is hampered by rapid deactivation. Mapping the relaxation pathways is essential for elaborating strategies that can favorably alter the charge dynamics through chemical design and photoexcitation conditions. Here, we combine transient optical absorption spectroscopy and transient X-ray emission spectroscopy with femtosecond resolution to probe directly the coupled electronic and spin dynamics within a photoexcited nickel porphyrin in solution. Measurements and calculations reveal that a state with charge-transfer character mediates the formation of the thermalized excited state, thereby advancing the description of the photocycle for this important representative molecule. More generally, establishing that intramolecular charge-transfer steps play a role in the photoinduced dynamics of metalloporphyrins with open d-shell sets a conceptual ground for their development as building blocks capable of boosting nonadiabatic photoconversion in functional architectures through “hot” charge transfer down to the attosecond time scale.
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| 10. |
- Vanko, Gyoergy, et al.
(författare)
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Detailed Characterization of a Nanosecond-Lived Excited State: X-ray and Theoretical Investigation of the Quintet State in Photoexcited [Fe(terpy)(2)](2+)
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 119:11, s. 5888-5902
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Theoretical predictions show that depending on the populations of the Fe 3d(xy), 3d(xz), and 3d(yz) orbitals two possible quintet states can exist for the high-spin state of the photoswitchable model system [Fe(terpy)(2)](2+). The differences in the structure and molecular properties of these B-5(2) and E-5 quintets are very small and pose a substantial challenge for experiments to resolve them. Yet for a better understanding of the physics of this system, which can lead to the design of novel molecules with enhanced photoswitching performance, it is vital to determine which high-spin state is reached in the transitions that follow the light excitation. The quintet state can be prepared with a short laser pulse and can be studied with cutting-edge time-resolved X-ray techniques. Here we report on the application of an extended set of X-ray spectroscopy and scattering techniques applied to investigate the quintet state of [Fe(terpy)(2)](2+) 80 ps after light excitation. High-quality X-ray absorption, nonresonant emission, and resonant emission spectra as well as X-ray diffuse scattering data clearly reflect the formation of the high-spin state of the [Fe(terpy)(2)](2+) molecule; moreover, extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy resolves the Fe-ligand bond-length variations with unprecedented bond-length accuracy in time-resolved experiments. With ab initio calculations we determine why, in contrast to most related systems, one configurational mode is insufficient for the description of the low-spin (LS)-high-spin (HS) transition. We identify the electronic structure origin of the differences between the two possible quintet modes, and finally, we unambiguously identify the formed quintet state as 5E, in agreement with our theoretical expectations.
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| 11. |
- Vester, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Tracking structural solvent reorganization and recombination dynamics following e-photoabstraction from aqueous I-with femtosecond x-ray spectroscopy and scattering
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Chemical Physics. - : AIP Publishing. - 0021-9606 .- 1089-7690. ; 157:22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present a sub-picosecond resolved investigation of the structural solvent reorganization and geminate recombination dynamics following 400 nm two-photon excitation and photodetachment of a valence p electron from the aqueous atomic solute, I-(aq). The measurements utilized time-resolved X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (TR-XANES) spectroscopy and X-ray Solution Scattering (TR-XSS) at the Linac Coherent Light Source x-ray free electron laser in a laser pump/x-ray probe experiment. The XANES measurements around the L1-edge of the generated nascent iodine atoms (I0) yield an average electron ejection distance from the iodine parent of 7.4 ± 1.5 Å with an excitation yield of about 1/3 of the 0.1M NaI aqueous solution. The kinetic traces of the XANES measurement are in agreement with a purely diffusion-driven geminate iodine-electron recombination model without the need for a long-lived (I0:e-) contact pair. Nonequilibrium classical molecular dynamics simulations indicate a delayed response of the caging H2O solvent shell and this is supported by the structural analysis of the XSS data: We identify a two-step process exhibiting a 0.1 ps delayed solvent shell reorganization time within the tight H-bond network and a 0.3 ps time constant for the mean iodine-oxygen distance changes. The results indicate that most of the reorganization can be explained classically by a transition from a hydrophilic cavity with a well-ordered first solvation shell (hydrogens pointing toward I-) to an expanded cavity around I0 with a more random orientation of the H2O molecules in a broadened first solvation shell.
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