Page 12 - 2017-2018 ARCS Oregon Annual Report

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“I research how molecules behave after they absorb light. Molecules gain extra energy
by absorbing a photon of light—becoming excited. Understanding what happens immediately after excitation is important because this determines whether the molecule can be useful for solar cells, light emitting devices, electronic sensors, or fluorescent biomarkers. Right now I am focused on molecular “nanohoops.” Only a few labs worldwide can synthesize these molecules, and one of them is at the University of Oregon. The unique geometry of these
hoops results in interesting and sometimes counterintuitive properties after they
absorb light. I measure the transmission of extraordinarily short laser pulses (lasting only a few millionths of a billionth of a second) through a sample of these nanohoops to measure how they behave after absorbing light. By understanding these processes, I will determine how synthetic chemists should design optimal nanohoops for solar cells, efficient lighting, or other electronic devices.”
Michael Crawford Chemistry, UO
ARCS Chapter Scholar