TY - GEN A1 - Schulze, Michael A1 - Utecht, Manuel Martin A1 - Moldt, Thomas A1 - Przyrembel, Daniel A1 - Gahl, Cornelius A1 - Weinelt, Martin A1 - Saalfrank, Peter A1 - Tegeder, Petra T1 - Nonlinear optical response of photochromic azobenzene-functionalized self-assembled monolayers N2 - The combination of photochromic and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of azobenzene-functionalized self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) constitutes an intriguing step towards novel photonic and optoelectronic devices. By utilizing the second-order NLO process of second harmonic generation (SHG), supported by density-functional theory and correlated wave function method calculations, we demonstrate that the photochromic interface provides the necessary prerequisites en route towards possible future technical applications: we find a high NLO contrast on the order of 16% between the switching states. These are furthermore accessible reversibly and with high efficiencies in terms of cross sections on the order of 10−18 cm2 for both photoisomerization reactions, i.e., drivable by means of low-power LED light sources. Finally, both photostationary states (PSSs) are thermally stable at ambient conditions. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 196 Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-81198 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schulze, Michael A1 - Utecht, Manuel Martin A1 - Moldt, Thomas A1 - Przyrembel, Daniel A1 - Gahl, Cornelius A1 - Weinelt, Martin A1 - Saalfrank, Peter A1 - Tegeder, Petra T1 - Nonlinear optical response of photochromic azobenzene-functionalized self-assembled monolayers JF - Physical chemistry, chemical physics : PCCP ; a journal of European Chemical Societies N2 - The combination of photochromic and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of azobenzene-functionalized self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) constitutes an intriguing step towards novel photonic and optoelectronic devices. By utilizing the second-order NLO process of second harmonic generation (SHG), supported by density-functional theory and correlated wave function method calculations, we demonstrate that the photochromic interface provides the necessary prerequisites en route towards possible future technical applications: we find a high NLO contrast on the order of 16% between the switching states. These are furthermore accessible reversibly and with high efficiencies in terms of cross sections on the order of 10−18 cm2 for both photoisomerization reactions, i.e., drivable by means of low-power LED light sources. Finally, both photostationary states (PSSs) are thermally stable at ambient conditions. Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1039/c5cp03093e SN - 1463-9076 SN - 1463-9084 VL - 27 IS - 17 SP - 18079 EP - 18086 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wirth, Jonas A1 - Neumann, Rainer A1 - Antonietti, Markus A1 - Saalfrank, Peter T1 - Adsorption and photocatalytic splitting of water on graphitic carbon nitride BT - a combined first principles and semiempirical study JF - physical chemistry, chemical physics : PCCP N2 - Graphitic carbon nitride, g-C₃N₄, is a promising organic photo-catalyst for a variety of redox reactions. In order to improve its efficiency in a systematic manner, however, a fundamental understanding of the microscopic interaction between catalyst, reactants and products is crucial. Here we present a systematic study of water adsorption on g-C₃N₄ by means of density functional theory and the density functional based tight-binding method as a prerequisite for understanding photocatalytic water splitting. We then analyze this prototypical redox reaction on the basis of a thermodynamic model providing an estimate of the overpotential for both water oxidation and H⁺ reduction. While the latter is found to occur readily upon irradiation with visible light, we derive a prohibitive overpotential of 1.56 eV for the water oxidation half reaction, comparing well with the experimental finding that in contrast to H₂ production O₂ evolution is only possible in the presence of oxidation cocatalysts. KW - initio molecular-dynamics KW - augmented-wave method KW - visible-light KW - tight-binding KW - transition KW - oxidation KW - photooxidation KW - simulations KW - reduction KW - hydrogen Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1039/c4cp02021a SN - 1463-9076 SN - 1463-9084 VL - 2014 IS - 16 SP - 15917 EP - 15926 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Ehlert, Christopher A1 - Unger, Wolfgang E. S. A1 - Saalfrank, Peter T1 - C K-edge NEXAFS spectra of graphene with physical and chemical defects BT - a study based on density functional theory N2 - Recently, C K-edge Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) spectra of graphite (HOPG) surfaces have been measured for the pristine material, and for HOPG treated with either bromine or krypton plasmas (Lippitz et al., Surf. Sci., 2013, 611, L1). Changes of the NEXAFS spectra characteristic for physical (krypton) and/or chemical/physical modifications of the surface (bromine) upon plasma treatment were observed. Their molecular origin, however, remained elusive. In this work we study by density functional theory, the effects of selected point and line defects as well as chemical modifications on NEXAFS carbon K-edge spectra of single graphene layers. For Br-treated surfaces, also Br 3d X-ray Photoelectron Spectra (XPS) are simulated by a cluster approach, to identify possible chemical modifications. We observe that some of the defects related to plasma treatment lead to characteristic changes of NEXAFS spectra, similar to those in experiment. Theory provides possible microscopic origins for these changes. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - paper 173 KW - absorbtion fine-structure KW - graphite Y1 - 2014 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-74429 SP - 14083 EP - 14095 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ehlert, Christopher A1 - Unger, Wolfgang E. S. A1 - Saalfrank, Peter T1 - C K-edge NEXAFS spectra of graphene with physical and chemical defects BT - a study based on density functional theory JF - physical chemistry, chemical physics : PCCP N2 - Recently, C K-edge Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) spectra of graphite (HOPG) surfaces have been measured for the pristine material, and for HOPG treated with either bromine or krypton plasmas (Lippitz et al., Surf. Sci., 2013, 611, L1). Changes of the NEXAFS spectra characteristic for physical (krypton) and/or chemical/physical modifications of the surface (bromine) upon plasma treatment were observed. Their molecular origin, however, remained elusive. In this work we study by density functional theory, the effects of selected point and line defects as well as chemical modifications on NEXAFS carbon K-edge spectra of single graphene layers. For Br-treated surfaces, also Br 3d X-ray Photoelectron Spectra (XPS) are simulated by a cluster approach, to identify possible chemical modifications. We observe that some of the defects related to plasma treatment lead to characteristic changes of NEXAFS spectra, similar to those in experiment. Theory provides possible microscopic origins for these changes. KW - absorbtion fine-structure KW - graphite Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1039/c4cp01106f SN - 1463-9076 SN - 1463-9084 VL - 2014 IS - 16 SP - 14083 EP - 14095 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Wirth, Jonas A1 - Neumann, Rainer A1 - Antonietti, Markus A1 - Saalfrank, Peter T1 - Adsorption and photocatalytic splitting of water on graphitic carbon nitride BT - a combined first principles and semiempirical study N2 - Graphitic carbon nitride, g-C₃N₄, is a promising organic photo-catalyst for a variety of redox reactions. In order to improve its efficiency in a systematic manner, however, a fundamental understanding of the microscopic interaction between catalyst, reactants and products is crucial. Here we present a systematic study of water adsorption on g-C₃N₄ by means of density functional theory and the density functional based tight-binding method as a prerequisite for understanding photocatalytic water splitting. We then analyze this prototypical redox reaction on the basis of a thermodynamic model providing an estimate of the overpotential for both water oxidation and H⁺ reduction. While the latter is found to occur readily upon irradiation with visible light, we derive a prohibitive overpotential of 1.56 eV for the water oxidation half reaction, comparing well with the experimental finding that in contrast to H₂ production O₂ evolution is only possible in the presence of oxidation cocatalysts. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - paper 172 KW - augmented-wave method KW - hydrogen KW - initio molecular-dynamics KW - oxidation KW - photooxidation KW - reduction KW - simulations KW - tight-binding KW - transition KW - visible-light Y1 - 2014 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-74391 SP - 15917 EP - 15926 ER -