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Investigating the function and design of molecular materials through terahertz vibrational spectroscopy

Nature Reviews Chemistry volume 7, pages 480–495 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

Terahertz spectroscopy has proved to be an essential tool for the study of condensed phase materials. Terahertz spectroscopy probes the low-frequency vibrational dynamics of atoms and molecules, usually in the condensed phase. These nuclear dynamics, which typically involve displacements of entire molecules, have been linked to bulk phenomena ranging from phase transformations to semiconducting efficiency. The terahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum has historically been referred to as the ‘terahertz gap’, but this is a misnomer, as there exist a multitude of methods for accessing terahertz frequencies, and now there are cost-effective instruments that have made terahertz studies much more user-friendly. This Review highlights some of the most exciting applications of terahertz vibrational spectroscopy so far, and provides an in-depth overview of the methods of this technique and its utility to the study of the chemical sciences.

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Fig. 1: Electromagnetic spectrum and corresponding dynamics.
Fig. 2: Terahertz spectra of crystalline polymorphs.
Fig. 3: Terahertz-driven reactivity.
Fig. 4: Low-frequency dynamics in MOFs.
Fig. 5: Probing organic semiconductors with terahertz radiation.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the National Science Foundation (CHE-2055402 and DMR-2046483), the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (61794-DNI10), and the University of Vermont for support.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA

    Peter A. Banks, Elyse M. Kleist & Michael T. Ruggiero

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M.T.R. designed the structure and content of the review. All authors contributed to the discussion, writing, reviewing and editing of the manuscript.

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Banks, P.A., Kleist, E.M. & Ruggiero, M.T. Investigating the function and design of molecular materials through terahertz vibrational spectroscopy. Nat Rev Chem 7, 480–495 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-023-00487-w

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