Transient absorption spectroscopy

Abstract

The optical properties of chromophores, especially organic dyes and optically active inorganic molecules, are determined by their chemical structures, surrounding media, and excited state behaviors. The classical optical go-to techniques for spectroscopic investigations are absorption and luminescence spectroscopy. While both techniques are powerful and easy to apply spectroscopic methods, the limited time resolution of luminescence spectroscopy and its reliance on luminescent properties can make its application, in certain cases, complex, or even impossible. This can be the case when the investigated molecules do not luminesce anymore due to quenching effects, or when they were never luminescent in the first place.First, I would like to thank my supervisor apl. Prof. Dr. Michael Kumke for the excellent mentoring during my time as a Ph.D. student and all the very professional and constructive discussions on the topics of spectroscopy and chemistry. I would also like to thank Prof. Dr. Pablo Wessig and Leonard John for their great collaboration between our departments.My special thanks go to Dr. Sascha Eidner, Dr. Robin Steudtner, Dr. Björn Drobot, and Dr. Jerome Kretzschmar for all their invaluable advice on chemistry, spectroscopy, and data analysis and for all the great time we spent together over the years, both inside and outside of work. Their great mentoring mainly influenced my scientific career and my approach to scientific problem solving.My thanks also go to all the colleagues of the physical chemistry group at the University of Potsdam and the colleagues of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, for always being helpful on all matters and questions and for the great collaboration over the years.Finally, I would like to thank all my family and friends for all their support over all the years that made this thesis possible, and I can call myself lucky to have them. vi 4.