(NU/1722) Supply of a comprehensive Ultrafast Transient Absorption Spectroscopy and Microscopy Facility

The North East ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy and microscopy facility (based at Newcastle University) will be a unique national facility to fulfil a strategically and critically important research infrastructure gap in the region. The facility aligns with the institutional strategy that includes the establishment of Centres for Research Excellence in Energy, Data and Cancer and the establishment of NU Academic Track Fellowships, several of whom will benefit from this facility. Transient absorption spectroscopy is a key tool that enables scientists to probe the identity, formation and fate of short-lived, energetic species formed on excitation with light (e.g. from a laser). It permits ultrafast optical and near infrared spectroscopy on a range of molecular, biological and functional material systems to provide critical mechanistic information on light-induced reaction pathways. This includes tracking the dynamics of key excited state and charge-transfer intermediates that lie at the heart of a vast amount of chemistry, from solar energy conversion to enzyme reactions. This national facility will support several multidisciplinary fields with substantial potential for societal and economic impact, including

1. Energy (e.g. emerging photovoltaic technology, solar-driven H2 evolution and CO2 conversion to fuels and feedstocks) research which is supported by joint, collaborative centres, the EPSRC/ISCF North East Centre for Energy Materials (NECEM) and the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Renewable Energy at North east Universities (ReNU).

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2. Photonic materials and metamaterials (e.g. Organic LEDs, energy transfer in solid state materials, 2D and 3D materials in LEDs and waveguides).
3. Chemical Biology and Biological Chemistry (bio-imaging, radiochemistry, photodynamic therapy-related cancer research and drug discovery) including the Cancer Research centre and EPSRC Centre for Doctoral training MosMed.

This facility is being funded though an EPSRC Strategic Equipment grant EP/W006340/1 The scope of this contract is for the supply, delivery and installation of the equipment as detailed in the ITT to the University, with after-sales support and 24 months warranty and maintenance.

The contract reference was NU/1722.