Prof. Renske: Electrons and X-rays for Unraveling Atomic-Scale Dynamics in Light Energy Conversion

Electrons and X-rays for Unraveling Atomic-Scale Dynamics in Light Energy Conversion

22nd May 2023, 3PM

The increasing demand for renewable and low-cost energy motivates intensive research aimed at developing, characterizing and optimizing materials that can efficiently convert (sun) light into usable energy in the form of electricity or chemical fuels. Conventional characterization techniques either lack the spatial resolution necessary to resolve individual atoms, or they lack the temporal resolution required to capture structural rearrangements as they evolve. Our group develops complementary ultrafast X-ray and electron-based tools to visualize light-induced processes in materials on atomic length and time scales. I my talk I will present our latest results using these methods for the study of carrier dynamics in heterostructured nanomaterials relevant for solar energy applications, as well as molecular photocatalysts for bond-forming reactions in organic synthesis.

Dr. Renske M. van der Veen is a professor at Helmholtz Center Berlin for Materials and Energy and Head of Department of Atomic-Scale Dynamics in Light-Energy Conversion. After she received her Ph.D. in EPFL Institut in Schwitzerland, she completed her postdoctoral stay at California Institute of Technology in the group of the Nobel Prize winner Ahmed Zewail.