title: Communication: uncovering molecule-TiO2 interactions with nonlinear spectroscopy.
abstract: Femtosecond transient grating experiments are used to investigate electronic structures and transport mechanisms in dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO(2) films. This study examines two molecular sensitizers spanning the weak (a phosphonated Ruthenium complex) and strong (catechol) molecule-TiO(2) coupling regimes. It is shown that strong molecule-TiO(2) interactions give rise to photoinduced vibrational coherences at the interface between species. We suggest that the amplitudes of these coherences reflect the molecule-TiO(2) coupling strength and signify the delocalization of excited state wavefunctions.
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.
authors: Stephen A
authors: SA
authors: Miller
authors: Brantley A
authors: BA
authors: West
authors: Anna C
authors: AC
authors: Curtis
authors: John M
authors: JM
authors: Papanikolas
authors: Andrew M
authors: AM
authors: Moran