M.E.O.W. is short for Multipulse Experiments at Optical Wavelengths.

MEOW Lab (115): Solstice Ace (Spectra Physics) 800 nm/90 fs@1 kHz, pumping two TOPAS-C optical parametric amplifiers. The first OPA generates mid-IR probe pulses from ~1400-3300 cm^-1. The second OPA generates either UV/Vis excitation pulses from ~320 to 900 nm or mid-IR pump pulses in the ~1400-3300 cm^-1 region (thanks to a homebuilt NDFG setup). A TOPAS-White OPA generates short UV/Vis pump pulses from ~300 to 750 nm. A 800/400 nm second harmonic excitation line is also available. In all cases, we can cover time delays up to ca. 2 ns.

A mid-IR detection setup coupled to a mid-IR pulse shaper enables collection of transient IR (TRIR), 2D-IR and transient 2D-IR spectra.

A fully reflective UV/Vis supercontinuum detection setup enables collection of electronic transient absorption (TA) and 1D/2D vibrational-electronic (1D/2D-VE) spectra. Our electronic TA setup has a time resolution of ca. 120 fs for UV/Vis excitation pulses, probing in the 315-800 nm region.

Lab Mascot: 

TA/FLUPS Lab (217): Spitfire Ace (Spectra Physics) 800 nm/35 fs@5 kHz, pumping several TOPAS-PRIME OPAs that power three different TA experiments: two fs-ns experiments, with UV/Vis and NIR detection, respectively; and a ns-ms UV/Vis TA experiment with excitation at 355 nm or 532 nm.

In addition, a broadband fluorescence up-conversion setup (FLUPS) with either 800/400 nm excitation or excitation from tuneable TOPAS-PRIME pulses (320-900 nm) is available.

A pump-pump-probe configuration, where the two excitation lines (800/400 nm and TOPAS-Prime) can be used simultaneously, is also available.

Our spectroelectrochemical investigations are carried out in both UV/Vis/NIR or mid-IR, thanks to a couple of shared instruments.

A Bruker IFS66 spectrometer covers the mid-IR (1000-5000 cm^-1, or 2-10 µm) and NIR (5000-10000 cm^-1, or 1000-2000 nm) ranges, whilst a Cary 5000 is used to probe in the UV/Vis/NIR (200-2000 nm).

In addition, a setup based on a fiber spectrometer is currently under development. This setup will have the advantage of totally synchronous and automated operation with our potentiostat.

An optically transparent thin layer electrochemical cell (OTTLE cell), equipped with CaF₂ windows and Pt/Pt/Ag or Au/Pt/Ag (W/C/R) electrodes is available. The spacer thickness is ca. 200 µm. A version of this cell adapted for ultrafast measurements is also available.