Ultrafast relaxation dynamics observed through time-resolved photoelectron angular distributions

Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy: from wavepackets to observables

Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (TRPES) is a powerful tool for the study of intramolecular dynamics, particularly excited state non-adiabatic dynamics in polyatomic molecules. Depending on the problem at hand, different levels of TRPES measurements can be performed: time-resolved photoelectron yield; time- and energy-resolved photoelectron yield; time-, energy-, and angle-resolved photoelectron yield. In this pedagogical overview, a conceptual framework for time-resolved photoionization measurements is presented, together with discussion of relevant theory for the different aspects of TRPES. Simple models are used to illustrate the theory, and key concepts are further amplified by experimental examples. These examples are chosen to show the application of TRPES to the investigation of a range of problems in the excited state dynamics of molecules: from the simplest vibrational wavepacket on a single potential energy surface; to disentangling intrinsically coupled electronic and nuclear motions; to identifying the electronic character of the intermediate states involved in non-adiabatic dynamics by angle-resolved measurements in the molecular frame, the most complete measurement.

Excited states in electron-transfer reaction products: ultrafast relaxation dynamics of an isolated acceptor radical anion

The spectroscopy and ultrafast relaxation dynamics of excited states of the radical anion of a representative charge-transfer acceptor molecule, 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane, have been studied in the gas phase using time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. The photoelectron spectra reveal that at least two anion excited states are bound. Time-resolved studies show that both excited states are very short-lived and internally convert to the anion ground state, with the lower energy state relaxing within 200 fs and a near-threshold valence-excited state relaxing on a 60 fs time scale. These excited states, and in particular the valence-excited state, present efficient pathways for electron-transfer reactions in the highly exergonic inverted region which commonly displays rates exceeding predictions from electron-transfer theory.