Project Grant 2239226

The National Science Foundation Division of Chemistry awarded Arizona State University a $445,000 Project Grant under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049) from September 1, 2022 to July 31, 2025. The award will support research at Arizona State University to develop a novel approach for simultaneously applying an electric field and quantitatively measuring its effect on single molecules during chemical processes using combined single-molecule Raman and conductance spectroscopies. Specifically, the university will probe the mechanisms by which two single-molecule photoswitches undergo conformational changes in an applied electric field to better understand how the field enables bypassing orbital symmetry selection rules and how these processes differ from photochemical switching. The research is expected to provide insight into electric field-controlled chemistry and impact fields where controlling chemical processes is important.