@phdthesis{Pavlenko2016,
  author    = {Pavlenko, Elena},
  title     = {Hybrid nanolayer architectures for ultrafast acousto-plasmonics in soft matter},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-99544},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {85},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {The goal of the presented work is to explore the interaction between gold nanorods (GNRs) and hyper-sound waves. For the generation of the hyper-sound I have used Azobenzene-containing polymer transducers. Multilayer polymer structures with well-defined thicknesses and smooth interfaces were built via layer-by-layer deposition. Anionic polyelectrolytes with Azobenzene side groups (PAzo) were alternated with cationic polymer PAH, for the creation of transducer films. PSS/PAH multilayer were built for spacer layers, which do not absorb in the visible light range. The properties of the PAzo/PAH film as a transducer are carefully characterized by static and transient optical spectroscopy. The optical and mechanical properties of the transducer are studied on the picosecond time scale. In particular the relative change of the refractive index of the photo-excited and expanded PAH/PAzo is Δn/n = - 2.6*10-4. Calibration of the generated strain is performed by ultrafast X-ray diffraction calibrated the strain in a Mica substrate, into which the hyper-sound is transduced. By simulating the X-ray data with a linear-chain-model the strain in the transducer under the excitation is derived to be Δd/d ~ 5*10-4. Additional to the investigation of the properties of the transducer itself, I have performed a series of experiments to study the penetration of the generated strain into various adjacent materials. By depositing the PAzo/PAH film onto a PAH/PSS structure with gold nanorods incorporated in it, I have shown that nanoscale impurities can be detected via the scattering of hyper-sound. Prior to the investigation of complex structures containing GNRs and the transducer, I have performed several sets of experiments on GNRs deposited on a small buffer of PSS/PAH. The static and transient response of GNRs is investigated for different fluence of the pump beam and for different dielectric environments (GNRs covered by PSS/PAH). A systematic analysis of sample architectures is performed in order to construct a sample with the desired effect of GNRs responding to the hyper-sound strain wave. The observed shift of a feature related to the longitudinal plasmon resonance in the transient reflection spectra is interpreted as the event of GNRs sensing the strain wave. We argue that the shift of the longitudinal plasmon resonance is caused by the viscoelastic deformation of the polymer around the nanoparticle. The deformation is induced by the out of plane difference in strain in the area directly under a particle and next to it. Simulations based on the linear chain model support this assumption. Experimentally this assumption is proven by investigating the same structure, with GNRs embedded in a PSS/PAH polymer layer. The response of GNRs to the hyper-sound wave is also observed for the sample structure with GNRs embedded in PAzo/PAH films. The response of GNRs in this case is explained to be driven by the change of the refractive index of PAzo during the strain propagation.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Rietze2020,
  author    = {Rietze, Clemens},
  title     = {Optimierung und Analyse von molekularen Schaltern in komplexen Umgebungen: thermische Stabilit{\"a}t, Auslesbarkeit und Schaltbarkeit},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-45959},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-459594},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {131},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {Seit Jahrzehnten stellen die molekularen Schalter ein wachsendes Forschungsgebiet dar. Im Rahmen dieser Dissertation stand die Verbesserung der thermischen Stabilit{\"a}t, der Auslesbarkeit und Schaltbarkeit dieser molekularen Schalter in komplexen Umgebungen mithilfe computergest{\"u}tzter Chemie im Vordergrund. Im ersten Projekt wurde die Kinetik der thermischen E → Z-Isomerisierung und die damit verbundene thermische Stabilit{\"a}t eines Azobenzol-Derivats untersucht. Daf{\"u}r wurde Dichtefunktionaltheorie (DFT) in Verbindung mit der Eyring-Theorie des {\"U}bergangszustandes (TST) angewendet. Das Azobenzol-Derivat diente als vereinfachtes Modell f{\"u}r das Schalten in einer komplexen Umgebung (hier in metallorganischen Ger{\"u}sten). Es wurden thermodynamische und kinetische Gr{\"o}ßen unter verschiedenen Einfl{\"u}ssen berechnet, wobei gute {\"U}bereinstimmungen mit dem Experiment gefunden wurden. Die hier verwendete Methode stellte einen geeigneten Ansatz dar, um diese Gr{\"o}ßen mit angemessener Genauigkeit vorherzusagen. Im zweiten Projekt wurde die Auslesbarkeit der Schaltzust{\"a}nde in Form des nichtlinearen optischen (NLO) Kontrastes f{\"u}r die Molek{\"u}lklasse der Fulgimide untersucht. Die daf{\"u}r ben{\"o}tigten dynamischen Hyperpolarisierbarkeiten unter Ber{\"u}cksichtigung der Elektronenkorrelation wurden mittels einer etablierten Skalierungsmethode berechnet. Es wurden verschiedene Fulgimide analysiert, wobei viele experimentelle Befunde best{\"a}tigt werden konnten. Dar{\"u}ber hinaus legte die theoretische Vorhersage f{\"u}r ein weiteres System nahe, dass insbesondere die Erweiterung des π-Elektronensystems ein vielversprechender Ansatz zur Verbesserung von NLO-Kontrasten darstellt. Die Fulgimide verf{\"u}gen somit {\"u}ber n{\"u}tzliche Eigenschaften, sodass diese in Zukunft als Bauelemente in photonischen und optoelektronischen Bereichen Anwendungen finden k{\"o}nnten. Im dritten Projekt wurde die E → Z-Isomerisierung auf ein quantenmechanisch (QM) behandeltes Dimer mit molekularmechanischer (MM) Umgebung und zwei Fluorazobenzol-Monomeren durch Molek{\"u}ldynamik simuliert. Dadurch wurde die Schaltbarkeit in komplexer Umgebung (hier selbstorgansierte Einzelschichten = SAMs) bzw. von Azobenzolderivaten analysiert. Mit dem QM/MM Modell wurden sowohl Van-der-Waals-Interaktionen mit der Umgebung als auch elektronische Kopplung (nur zwischen QM-Molek{\"u}len) ber{\"u}cksichtigt. Dabei wurden systematische Untersuchungen zur Packungsdichte durchgef{\"u}hrt. Es zeigte sich, dass bereits bei einem Molek{\"u}labstand von 4.5 {\AA} die Quantenausbeute (prozentuale Anzahl erfolgreicher Schaltprozesse) des Monomers erreicht wird. Die gr{\"o}ßten Quantenausbeuten wurden f{\"u}r die beiden untersuchten Fluorazobenzole erzielt. Es wurden die Effekte des Molek{\"u}labstandes und der Einfluss von Fluorsubstituenten auf die Dynamik eingehend untersucht, sodass der Weg f{\"u}r darauf aufbauende Studien geebnet ist.},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Dokić2009,
  author    = {Dokić, Jadranka},
  title     = {Quantum mechanical study of molecular switches : electronic structure, kinetics and dynamical aspects},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-41796},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2009},
  abstract  = {Molecular photoswitches are attracting much attention lately mostly because of their possible applications in nano technology, and their role in biology. One of the widely studied representatives of photochromic molecules is azobenzene (AB). With light, by a static electric field, or with tunneling electrons this specie can be "switched" from the flat and energetically more stable trans form, into the compact cis form. The back reaction can be induced optically or thermally. Quantum chemical calculations, mostly based on density functional theory, on the AB molecule, AB derivatives and related systems are presented. All the calculations were done for isolated species, however, with implications for latest experimental results aiming at the switching of surface mounted ABs. In some of these experiments, it is assumed that the switching process is substrate mediated, by attaching an electron or a hole to the adsorbate forming short-lived anion or cation resonances. Therefore, we calculated also cationic and anionic ABs in this work. An influence of external electric fields on the potential energy surfaces, was also studied. Further, by the type, number and positioning of various substituent groups, systematic changes on activation energies and rates for the thermal cis-to-trans isomerization can be enforced. The nature of the transition state for ground state isomerization was investigated. Applying Eyring's transition state theory, trends in activation energies and rates were predicted and are, where a comparison was possible, in good agreement with experimental data. Further, thermal isomerization was studied in solution, for which a polarizable continuum model was employed. The influence of substitution and an environment leaves its traces on structural properties of molecules and quantitative appearance of calculated UV/Vis spectra, as well. Finally, an explicit treatment of a solid substrate was demonstrated for the conformational switching, by scanning tunneling microscope, of a 1,5-cyclooctadiene (COD) molecule at a Si(001) surface, treated by a cluster model. At first, we studied energetics and potential energy surfaces along relevant switching coordinates by quantum chemical calculations, followed by the switching dynamics using wave packet methods. We show that, in spite the simplicity of the model, our calculations support the switching of adsorbed COD, by inelastic electron tunneling at low temperatures.},
  language  = {en}
}