Objective The development of renewable energy - particularly energy from wind, water, solar power and biomass - is a central aim of the European Commission's energy policy. Renewable energy sources are expected to be economically competitive with conventional energy sources in the medium to long term.Many of the most promising strategies for solar energy conversion involve charge separation of an exciton in a photovoltaic device comprised of a nanostructured composite of various types. We propose to use novel single molecule (particle) modulation spectroscopy techniques to investigate photoinduced charge separation and charge transfer reactions in model photovoltaic solar energy devices based on nanoparticles. We believe that this general strategy will ultimately lead to new tools for photovoltaic device and materials research that will be single molecule spectroscopy (SMS) 'functional equivalents' for photo-electro-chemistry and ultrafast spectroscopy. In particular, this proposal takes a new direction in solar energy conversion research by developing and applying a new technique, Fluorescence Voltage-Time Resolved-Single Molecule Spectroscopy (FV-TR-SMS). This method involves simultaneous and synchronized SMS E-Field modulation, and light intensity modulation and/or pulsed lasers. Preliminary FV-TR-SMS results demonstrate that these methods are well suited to study the kinetics of photoinduced charge separation and transfer at the molecular level, and will allow us investigate in the proposed research critical unresolved issues regarding how charge separation and charge transfer processes depend upon chemical structure, morphology and the physical state (e.g. charging) of the layers and interfaces in the model photovoltaic solar energy devices. Fields of science natural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsmicroscopyelectron microscopynatural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciencesnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticslaser physicspulsed lasersengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energysolar energyphotovoltaicnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsspectroscopy Keywords Confocal Microscopy Conjugated polymer nanomaterials Nanoscience Renewable Energy Ultra-fast Spectroscopy Programme(s) FP6-MOBILITY - Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 Topic(s) MOBILITY-2.2 - Marie Curie Outgoing International Fellowships (OIF) Call for proposal FP6-2004-MOBILITY-6 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme OIF - Marie Curie actions-Outgoing International Fellowships Coordinator TECHNION - ISRAEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY EU contribution No data Address Technion City HAIFA Israel See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN United States EU contribution No data Address 1 University Station 7726 AUSTIN, TEXAS See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
