Title: "Lighting up Magnetic Resonance: The Role of Spin on Optical Pathways"

Claudia Avalos, Assistant Professor of Chemistry

New York University, College of Arts & Science

Host: Aaron Rossini

Abstract: The development of new materials for quantum sensing and high photoluminescence requires a two prong approach that combines both experiment and theory. Our research focuses on how structural modifications or spin defect incorporation in organic chromophores and inorganic perovskites can perturb their optical properties. In this presentation I will discuss two classes of photoactive materials that have been investigated in my group, chromophore-radical (C-R) dyads and lanthanide doped halide perovskites. Using a combination of computational tools, magnetic resonance and optical spectroscopy, we identify several important design principles controlling the optical pathway as well as the magnetic interactions present in these materials. These results inform our future approaches for  designing C-R dyad structures for quantum sensing as well as for developing new defect incorporation methods for improving the photoluminescence properties of lead halide perovskites. 

Bio: Prof. Avalos is an experimental physical chemist with a penchant for theory. Her research interests include solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center magnetometry development and application. After obtaining her B.S in Chemistry at the California State University Chico, she obtained her PhD at the University of California Berkeley. While at UC Berkeley, she investigated spin coupling interactions between defect NV centers in diamond and explored the use of these systems for sensitive magnetic field sensing and NMR signal enhancement applications. During her postdoctoral work at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne she developed dynamic nuclear polarization methods for improving the NMR detection sensitivity for ¹⁹F nuclei and investigated structural phase transitions in perovskite ferroelectric materials using solid-state magic angle spinning NMR. While in Lausanne, she also investigated optically induced spin polarization transfer in a number of novel pentacene-radical compounds using transient EPR. Now at NYU, Prof. Avalos is interested in pursuing research focused on using optical and magnetic resonance spectroscopies to better understand the spin physics, structure and function of photoactive materials such as ferroelectrics, perovskites and organic chromophores.

wp.nyu.edu/avalos/