When light interacts with matter, it triggers a rich cascade of electronic and structural responses — from the excitation of molecular orbitals to ultrafast energy redistribution in complex nanomaterials. We investigate these processes across scales, combining quantum chemical modeling with time-resolved spectroscopy, and exploring how nanophotonic environments can be engineered to control the fate of excited states.
Excited Electronic States in Molecules
We investigate theoretically the electronic structure and excited-state dynamics of molecular and supramolecular systems under electromagnetic radiation, using quantum chemical methods including DFT and TD-DFT. Our work addresses the nature and relaxation pathways of electronically excited states, with applications in photochemistry and spectroscopy — for instance, characterizing charge transfer phenomena, intersystem crossings, and light-induced spin transitions in molecular complexes.
Ultrafast Photoinduced Dynamics in Hybrid Nanomaterials
In hybrid nanomaterials — combining metals, semiconductors, and molecular emitters — photoexcitation triggers coupled dynamics that unfold on femtosecond to nanosecond timescales. We study these ultrafast phenomena using time-resolved absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence lifetime measurements, probing energy and charge transfer pathways in systems such as metal-semiconductor-molecule assemblies and fluorophores in proximity to plasmonic surfaces and metasurfaces.
Controlling Molecular Fluorescence with Nanophotonic Systems
The photonic environment surrounding a fluorescent emitter profoundly influences its emission properties. By placing emitters near plasmonic nanostructures or engineered metasurfaces, the local density of optical states (LDOS) can be tailored to accelerate or inhibit spontaneous emission, enhance radiative rates, and control emission directionality. We exploit these effects — including plasmonic near-field enhancement and Purcell-type modifications — to engineer fluorescence at the nanoscale, with implications for sensing, imaging, and the development of nanoscale light sources.
Collaboration:
CNR — Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies, Italy