GRK Colloquium:
Prof. Dr. Renske van der Veen

Venue: RUN auditorium 1st floor

Fast electrons and hard X-rays for unraveling atomic-scale dynamics in light-energy conversion
Department Atomic-Scale Dynamics in Light-Energy Conversion, Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin

The increasing demand for renewable and low-cost energy motivates intensive research aimed at characterizing and optimizing materials that can efficiently convert (sun) light into usable energy in the form of electricity or chemical fuels. Conventional characterization techniques either lack the spatial
resolution necessary to resolve individual atoms, or they lack the temporal resolution required to capture structural rearrangements as they evolve. Our group develops complementary X-ray and electron-based tools to visualize light-induced processes in materials on atomic length and time scales. In this talk I will introduce you to the techniques of ultrafast/time-resolved X-ray spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy and provide several examples of how these techniques can be used in the fields of solar energy and catalysis.