Abstract

The microscopic aspects of solvation processes are the subject of active theoretical and experimental efforts. Time resolved studies of spectral relaxation dynamics [1] and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations [2] have led to a better understanding. However, besides general polarity/polarizability effects, specific solute-solvent interactions such as hydrogen bonding contribute to the stabilization of the solute excited state. Thus far, the relative importance and the dynamics of these specific interactions (as opposed to the bulk solvent response) have not been quantified. Furthermore, intramolecular relaxation may contribute to the experimentally measured ‘solvent’ relaxation functions.

© 1998 IEEE