Course: A short introduction to molecular electron transfer theory for an interdisciplinary audience
FRIAS Research Focus: Designed Quantum Transport in Complex Materials
Courses:
A short introduction to molecular electron transfer theory
for an interdisciplinary audience
Instructor: Prof Spiros Skourtis
Marie Curie fellow of the European Union
Senior Fellow (2014-2015)
Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS)
spyridon.skourtis@frias.uni-freiburg.de
http://www.frias.uni-freiburg.de/en/people/present-fellows/skourtis
Location:
Room: SR 44/45
Institut für Physikalische Chemie – Lehrstuhl I
Albertstr. 21
79104 Freiburg, Germany
(Any change in location will be announced)
Description of course:
Molecular electron transfer reactions are central to bioenergetics and chemistry, and to several technology fields including photovoltaics, fuel cells and molecular electronics.
The course is intendend to introduce the basic theory of molecular electron transfer reactions to the highly interdisciplinary audience comprised of researchers in the above fields.
An effort is made to make the material accessible to physical chemists, physical biologists and to physicists without oversimplifying the presentation.
The course content is to some extend flexible in order to accommodate the needs of the audience.
Part I Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
- Friday March 6th, 10:15
Newton vs Schroedinger equations, classical trajectories vs wavefunctions, tunneling
Pdf of notes
- Friday March 13th, 10:15
Observables, operators, mean values and uncertainties
Pdf of notes
- Friday March 27th, 10:15
Time evolution fo time-independent Hamiltonians: stationary versus non stationary states
Pdf of notes
- Wednesday April 1st 14.00
Dirac notation
Pdf of notes
Future lectures:
- Molecular quantum mechanics: the Born-Oppenheimer approximation and the concept of energy surfaces (1-2 lectures)
- Quantum mechanics with time-dependent Hamltonians, Landau-Zener theory (
Part II Molecular electron transfer reactions
- General background on molecular electron transfer reactions
- Marcus theory of the electron transfer rate (classical nuclear dynamics)
- Marcus theory of the electron transfer rate (quantum nuclear dynamics)
- Other topics to be decided with students