M.S. Physical Chemistry (1996) Technical University of Braunschweig
Ph.D. Physical Chemistry (2000) Georgia Institute of Technology
Physical chemistry, ultrafast and single molecule spectroscopy, materials and nanoscale science
Email: Stephan.Link@rice.edu
Phone: (713) 348-4561
Office: Space Science & Tech. Bldg., 212
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Stephan Link
Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Research Statement
My research group is interested in applying physical methods to solve problems in nanoscience. One of our main focus areas is the study of noble metal particles in the size range of 2-100 nm. These nanoparticles have long fascinated scientists because of their intense color, which is caused by the surface plasmon resonance, a coherent motion of the conduction band electrons induced by interaction with light. The excitation of a nanoparticle surface plasmon also creates a strong local electromagnetic field around the metal nanoparticle surface. The unique optical properties of metal nanoparticles have caused a tremendous interest in building improved and new devices from novel materials that consist of nanoparticles building blocks and are designed in a bottoms-up approach. As our main tool, we are using optical single molecule/nanoparticle imaging and spectroscopy techniques. Single molecule spectroscopy provides the ultimate molecular resolution and has enabled major breakthroughs in materials chemistry and physics because heterogeneous distributions of nanoparticle shape, size, and orientation or interfacial nanoscale structure in layered thin film devices can be measured directly.
Our current research projects include absorption and scattering spectroscopy of single metallic nanoparticles and nanowires, plasmon coupling in 1-D assemblies of nanostructures, diffusion of nanoparticles probed by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, anisotropic solvation of rod-shaped nanostructures in liquid crystalline solvents, and single molecule imaging of molecular machines.
Selected Publications
A. Tcherniak, A. Prakash, J. T. Mayo, V. L. Colvin, S. Link, Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy of magnetite nanocrystal diffusion. J. Phys. Chem. C 113, 844 (2009)
A. Tcherniak, C. Reznik, S. Link, C. F. Landes, Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy: Criteria for analysis in complex systems. Anal. Chem. 81, 746 (2009)
S. Khatua, J. M. Guerrero, K. Claytor, G. Vives, A. B. Kolomeisky, J. M. Tour, S. Link, Micrometer-Scale Translation and Monitoring of Individual Nanocars on Glass. ACS Nano 3, 351 (2009).
W.-S. Chang, L. S. Slaughter, B. P. Khanal, P. Manna, E. R. Zubarev, S. Link, One-Dimensional Coupling of Gold Nanoparticle Plasmons in Self-Assembled Ring Superstructures. Nano Lett. 9, 1152 (2009).
K. Claytor, S. Khatua, J. M. Guerrero, A. Tcherniak, J. M. Tour, S. Link, Accurately Determining Single Molecule Trajectories of Molecular Motion on Surfaces. J. Chem. Phys. 130, 164710 (2009).
A. Tcherniak, D. Solis, S. Khatua, A. A. Tangonan, T. R. Lee, S. Link, Chain-length dependent nematic ordering of conjugated polymers in a liquid crystal solvent. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 130, 12262 (2008).
S. Lal, S. Link, N. J. Halas, Plasmonics: From surface plasmon sensing to plasmon waveguiding. Nat. Photonics 1, 641 (2007).
Awards
Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award, Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). (May 2008).
GSA Faculty Teaching/Mentoring Award, Graduate Student Association. (May 2008).
3M Nontenured Faculty Award, 3M. (February 2008).
John L. Margrave Junior Faculty Innovation Award, Department of Chemistry, Rice University. (2008).
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