Light on Matter

Course manual 2023/2024

Course content

The interaction of light and matter is of utmost importance for our existence and for maintaining a sustainable society. Our main sense is vision, an interaction of photons with pigments in our eyes. The main part of the energy on earth is a result of light-matter interaction. Not only is all the energy in all “food and feed” on earth derived from the light induced conversion of carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates, also all the energy in fossil fuels like oil, natural gas and coal was initially fixed by phototrophic organisms. In order to proceed to a sustainable society, we need to envision the harvesting of the energy of the sun in all possible ways and places. From light-weight wearable solar fabrics, to harvesting indoor lighting, solar fuel generation for storage to ultra-high efficiency solar cell materials on the roofs of our houses and cars. Astro- and chemical-physicists have shown that also in interstellar space, the interaction of matter with the high energy, unfiltered, light of the stars is essential for making complex molecules in space. Just like in space, we can use the energy of the photons of the sun to create complex molecules here on earth. Photocatalysis and photochemistry are the tools that we have for this challenge.

Study materials

Literature

• Scaiano, J. C. Photochemistry Essentials; American Chemical Society: 2021 (https://doi.org/10.1021/acsinfocus.7e5031)

Objectives

• Describe basic properties of light and matter and their interaction.
• Explain how light can change and control chemistry (chemical reactivity, charge conductivity, relaxation pathways, and reactions rates).
• Explain light induced photochemical and photophysical processes.
• Interpret the correlation between quantum chemistry and photochemistry.
• Illustrate the importance of the interactions of light and matter by using applications such as vision, photosynthesis and photovoltaics, energy conversion.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Presentation/symposium
• Self-study
• Tutorial

The course will consist of a series of lectures, from fundamentals to applications. Each lecture is linked to a tutorial where demonstrations may be given and students will do assignments and practical work. Students will also work on a project within a small group outside lecture hours and give a presentation at the end. Self study consist of studying the book, additional study material, and exercises.

Learning activities

Attendance

Programme's requirements concerning attendance (OER-B):

• Active participation is expected of each student in the course for which he is registered.
• If a student cannot attend an obligatory part of a programme's component due to circumstances beyond his control, he must report in writing to the teacher in question as soon as possible. The teacher, if necessary after consulting the study adviser, may decide to issue the student a replacing assignment.
• It is not allowed to miss obligatory parts of the programme's component if there is no case of circumstances beyond one's control.
• In case of participating qualitatively or quantitatively insufficiently, the examiner can expel a student from further participation in the programme's component or a part of that component. Conditions for sufficient participation are fixed in advance in the study guide and/or on Canvas.

Additional requirements for this course:

• The tutorials are mandatory.
• Participation in working on assignments, the team project, and end presentation is mandatory.

Assessment

In case the exam is retaken, the grade of the team project and the assignments grade will remain valid.

Inspection of assessed work

Students can contact the teachers for inspection of their work. 

Assignments

Information on the assignments will be provided via Canvas.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Additional information

Pre-knowledge:

• VWO level Math B, Physics and Chemistry
• The core courses of the joint chemistry track or related

Advised (not mandatory) pre-knowledge:

• Courses of the theme ‘Analytics and Photonics’, such as Molecular Analysis, Molecular Spectroscopy, and Unravelling Molecular Structure and Function.
• Alternatively, courses of the theme ‘Quantum and Computing’, such as Quantum Chemistry and Modelling, Molecular Computational Chemistry, and Physical Chemistry of Materials.

Additional infromation:

• The course will be in English

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. ir. Annemieke Petrignani

Staff

• T. Solomek
• dr. R.M. Williams