IIN Frontiers in Nanotechnology Seminar Series – Theodore Goodson III

Professor Theodore Goodson III

Department of Chemistry
The University of Michigan

Unique Optical Effects in Small Metal Clusters

Abstract

The success of synthesizing monolayer protected clusters (MPCs) in the condensed phase has allowed scientists to probe their optical properties directly. Au MPCs have become the “gold” standard in nanocluster science due to the use of very rigorous chemical and structural characterization techniques to probe the properties of the MPCs. The use of ultrafast laser spectroscopy to investigate the dynamics of MPCs in solution provides the benefit of directly studying the mechanisms of the dynamics as well as their non-linear optical properties. Based on the use of nonlinear and time-resolved spectroscopic techniques it is clear that monolayer protected metal clusters have unique physical and optical properties which are different than their larger metal particle counterparts. In this presentation the basic optical properties of small gold, silver, and mixed clusters will be presented. Both linear and nonlinear optical measurements as well as steady state and time-resolved investigations of these metal clusters will be presented. Further work suggesting that the basic scientific information regarding MPCs can be combined with innovative nanotechnology to inspire creative applications in imaging, diagnostics, and therapeutics.

Biography

Theodore Goodson III (b: April 05, 1969) received his BA in liberal arts from Wabash College in 1991 and his Ph.D. from U of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1996.  He was a postdoctoral assistant at the University of Chicago and Postdoctoral fellow at Oxford University (physics).  He served on the faculty at Wayne State University from 1998 to 2004 and move to the University of Michigan where he is the Richard Barry Bernstein Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Applied Physics. Dr. Goodson’s research centers on the investigation of ultra-fast, nonlinear optical, and quantum optical properties in organic multi-chromophore and metal cluster systems for particular optical and electronic applications in the condensed phase. This has included contributions to the understanding of ultra-fast exciton migration in organic dendrimers and novel molecular aggregates, correlations of ultra-fast dynamics in organic polymers with photovoltaic performance,  the nature of ultra-fast electronic processes in in small (magic number) metal clusters, ultra-fast two photon effects for the determination of DNA-drug binding modes, ultra-fast nonlinear optical detection of remote IEDs, ultra-fast processes of the aggregation process in the formation of amyloids, the interaction of organic molecules with non-classical (entangled) light, the quantum optical response of biological macromolecules.  His research has been translated in to technology in the areas of two-photon organic materials for eye and sensor protection, large dielectric and energy storage effects in organic macromolecular materials, the remote detection of energetic (explosive) devices by nonlinear optical methods, quantum optical communications and remote chemical sensing, tissue imaging and photodynamic therapy with small metal clusters.   He has published over 170 scientific papers and one book (Solar Fuels) and has given more than 250 invited talks. Professor Goodson has been awarded numerous awards including the Distinguished University Professor Award, the National Science Foundation American Innovation Fellowship,  The Percy Julian Award (NOBCChE), Fellow of the American Chemical Society, Army Young Investigator, National Science Foundation CAREER Award, Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship, Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award to name a few. He has been a Senior Editor for The Journal of Physical Chemistry since 2007.  He has done extensive work with the U of Michigan President’s office to enhance efforts for diversity in the STEM fields at the University of Michigan and beyond.