Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

A spectrofluorometer is requested in order to replace an old one purchased in 1990. Aging made some key components unusable and were found to be irreplaceable as the instrument has been discontinued since 1995. These components are the excitation monochromator and the correction files as the optics became different in comparison with its original state in 1990, namely the gratings mostly affected by humidity. The corrected emission spectra (excitation wavelength is kept fixed, and the emission wavelength is being scanned) are now severely distorted. The excitation spectra (emission wavelength is kept fixed, and the excitation wavelength is being scanned) can no longer be acquired. This instrument is essential for the training of students engaged in research in the field of photonic materials such as bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells, dye sensitized solar cells, and white light emitting diodes. This instrument measures various key photophysical parameters of the materials being investigated such as energy levels (amount of energy being accumulated upon absorption of a photon), relative amount of energy transfer from one chromophore to another, the amount of light being emitted (quantum yield), rate of energy and electron transfers from quantum yield measurements, etc. This instrument is essential for accurate and indispensable data acquisitions in order to perform high quality research in Canada, hence to maintain an international reputation and stay competitive in this area.