Exciton Science (CHEM90041)

Excitons lie at the heart of many important natural and technological processes including photosynthesis, vision, energy efficient lighting and solar energy conversion. An exciton is a coulombically bound electron-hole pair that is generated in a material either by light absorption or electrical charge injection. Because of the strong coulomb interactions, excitonic materials are very efficient absorbers of light, possess excellent light emission properties, and can exhibit a variety of unique phenomena, such as up- or down- conversion, that can enable us to move beyond the efficiency limits of existing materials. This Masters course provides an overview of exciton science. Advanced topics include techniques to probe excitons, the properties of various materials classes that involve excitonic interactions and applications in photosynthesis, solar cells and light emitting technologies.