Luminescence spectrometer with TCSPC-/MCS-module, integrating sphere for quantum yield determination, and cryostat

• Subject Area: Molecular Chemistry
• Term: Funded in 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 426847721

The group of Prof. Dr. Andreas Steffen has focussed on the synthesis and photophysical investigation of d10 transition metal complexes of highly abundant elements such as copper, silver and zinc, and their application in light-emitting devices, as sensors and photocatalysts. The appointment of Prof. Steffen at the TU Dortmund is expected to strengthen the activities in the area of functional materials. In order to realize the proposed work and projects, which will be briefly summarized in the following, the purchase of a luminescence spectrometer is mandatory and the TU Dortmund strongly supports this application.Many of the photoactive metal complexes of interest (see main proposal) show, apart from efficient triplet state population, thermally activated delayed fluorescence, by which beneficial fast lifetimes and high luminescence efficiencies can be realized. Also, we realized that multimetallic complexes can emit from several excited states in parallel, which led to the development of molecular white light emitters and stimulus-responsive materials. In another project, highly efficient photocatalysts for borylation and hydroamination reactions based on energy transfer have been developed by a detailed analysis of the excited state properties of the sensitizer units.In order to gain control and to allow for target-oriented design of the excited states with regard to lifetime, energy and efficiency, the elucidation of the emission properties and mechanisms is of utmost importance. Only then structure-property relationships can be formulated and subsequently ultrafast emitters, highly efficient photocatalysts and sensors can be developed for applications. For a thorough understanding and full photophysical characterisation (emission wavelengths, excitation wavelengths, lifetimes, quantum yields, low temperature behaviour) a luminescence spectrometer is absolutely mandatory.An added value results from the purchase of this major instrument due to planned specific collaborations with the groups of Prof. Dr. Guido Clever and Prof. Dr. Carsten Strohmann at the TU Dortmund. The group of Prof. Clever published their first forays in to the field of chiral luminescent platinum complexes as well as of photoactive supramolecular cage structures, and in the future they will investigate photoswitchable and –responsive structures together with the group of Prof. Steffen. With the purchase of the luminescence spectrometer, the group of Prof. Strohmann has the opportunity to study luminescent copper halide cluster compounds and coordination polymers on-site, so that even highly sensitive compounds can be measured with regard to their photophysics.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Lumineszenzspektrometer
• Instrumentation Group: 1850 Spektralfluorometer, Lumineszenz-Spektrometer (außer Filterfluorometer
• Applicant Institution: Technische Universität Dortmund
• Leader: Professor Dr. Andreas Steffen