PHOEBUS · PHOto-induced Energy flow in Bio-inspired molecular circuits probed with Ultrafast two-dimensional Spectroscopy

PHOto-induced Energy flow in Bio-inspired molecular circuits probed with Ultrafast two-dimensional Spectroscopy

PHOEBUS aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms of photosynthesis in order to produce artificial molecular circuits able to mimic the natural mechanism of energy production. The absorption of light by the molecules contained in the photosynthetic organisms occurs within infinitesimal fractions of seconds. The initial photo-excitation caused by sunlight is efficiently distributed over the molecules and it is transmitted through a pigment energy-cascade to the “power station” of the photosynthetic organism, as in a solar cell. In this framework, PHOEBUS has photographed these mechanisms through sophisticated instruments, available at the Politecnico di Milano and at Princeton University, that allowed generating flashes of femtosecond laser light, to provide the design of innovative chemical structures (molecular circuits) that can control in sophisticated ways the flow of excitation energy. The project focuses on bio-inspired molecular circuits, where several light-absorbing molecules are linked together to form antenna systems displaying ultrafast electronic energy transfer (EET). We aim to identify and understand how coherence can direct, control, and optimize energy flow after photo-excitation. PHOEBUS aimed at answering the following questions: (i) does coherent coupling influence excitation transport compared to incoherent hopping of excitation? (ii) how can we design chemical structures that use coherence in light harvesting? The project, once completed, will contribute to the field of solar-energy-conversion technologies. Its results will be used as rules to design artificial complexes that efficiently direct and regulate the excitation energy flow,with the ultimate goal to be used as smart solution for antenna devices. Indeed the multi-molecular arrays here studies will be used for efficient harvesting and concentration of sunlight, which is the initial phase of solar fuel production. These organic-based systems could be be used to: (i) optimize light absorption cross sections of organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices, (ii) transport energy over long distances. These new materials might have a significant impact in the field of OPV, supported by the forecast that the OPV market will rise from $4.6 million (calculated in 2012) to $ 630 million in 2022 (IDTechEx estimation).

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