Project description
Shedding light on light-induced molecular changes
Many natural and industrial processes depend on how molecules change when exposed to light. These changes happen fast, making them difficult to study. Existing techniques can capture the structure of molecules, but they struggle to separate the changes in their electronic states. This limits our understanding of how molecules react during photochemical processes. Funded by the European Research Council, the TERES project aims to address the issue by developing a new method for tracking these rapid changes. Using advanced electron scattering techniques, TERES will separate and identify different electronic states while preserving molecular structure. This will provide new insights into how molecules react and open up new possibilities in photochemistry.
Objective
Many processes in nature and industry are intricately linked to the structure-function relationship of molecules, which optical stimuli can profoundly alter. Chemists and physicists have long sought to unravel the ultrafast structural changes of photochemical reactions. Using two short pulses with precisely synchronized time delays, a series of snapshots of the evolving electronic and molecular structures at various reaction times can be collected, analogous to assembling frames in a video. Measuring coupled electronic-nuclear dynamics remains a formidable challenge due to the small time, energy and spatial scales involved. State-of-the-art ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) techniques excel in molecular structure retrieval, but the critical signatures stemming from simultaneous transformations in electronic structure remain elusive, as several molecular reaction channels overlap and cannot be separated with current imaging technologies.
My goal is to pioneer a novel time- and energy-resolved electron scattering (TERES) method for real-time monitoring of coupled electronic-nuclear dynamics in photochemical reactions by energy-resolving UED. TERES will experimentally separate and identify electron scattering signals arising from different electronic structures of excited molecules (e.g. in different excited states) while preserving molecular structure information, comprehensively mapping the potential energy surfaces involved at different reaction times capabilities significantly exceeding current UED technology. Successful realization of TERES promises to usher in a new era in photochemistry, unveiling hidden aspects of chemical reactivity.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
12489 Berlin
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.