Open Access` In‐situ ' charge‐density studies of photoinduced phenomena: possibilities for the future?
Author(s) -
Cole Jacqueline M.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
acta crystallographica section a
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1600-5724
pISSN - 0108-7673
DOI - 10.1107/s0108767304017428
Subject(s) - metastability , chemical physics , photoinduced charge separation , charge (physics) , materials science , excited state , charge density , nanotechnology , chemistry , atomic physics , physics , biochemistry , organic chemistry , photocatalysis , quantum mechanics , artificial photosynthesis , catalysis
Over the past decade, there has been much development in the structure determination of photoinduced species by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Such work is key to understanding many photoactivated chemical processes and physical properties that are behind phenomena such as photoisomerism, photoinduced chemical reactions, light‐induced spin‐crossover transitions and molecular excited states that are responsible for many types of fluorescence and phosphorescence. A brief overview of these experimental developments is presented in relation to the attraction of conducting charge‐density studies on photoinduced structures. The technical issues regarding possible charge‐density studies using these developments, both in the metastable and time‐resolved domain, are highlighted in the form of a perspective towards future possibilities for photoinduced charge‐density studies. The paper concludes with a summary of further experimental developments that are unfolding and how these may contribute to the ultimate viability of ` in‐situ ' charge‐density studies on photoinduced phenomena.