Spectroscopic interfacial system types

By using transient absorption spectroscopic techniques, time-resolved measurements of photo-induced interfacial ET with time-constants shorter than 100 fsec have become possible [51,52,58-60]. When ultrashort laser pulses are used in studying PIET, vibrational coherences (or vibrational wave packet) can often be observed and have indeed been observed in a number of dye-sensitized solar cell systems. This type of quantum beat has also been observed in ultrafast PIET in photosynthetic reaction center [22], It should be noted that when the PIET takes place in the time scale shorter than 100 fsec, vibrational relaxation between the system and the heat bath is slower than PIET this is the so-called vibrationally non-relaxed ET case, and it will be treated in this section. 

Spectroscopic techniques (particularly infrared, x-ray photoelectron, and x-ray absorption spectroscopy) have been applied to fill the information gap about chemical speciation and interfacial reactions of As in model and natural materials. They have been used to determine the stmcture of x-ray amorphous particles involved in interfacial reactions, to identify the types of sorption reactions occurring in simplified model systems containing As and one or more phases, and to identify the valence and speciation of predominant As species present in natural, heterogeneous materials. This chapter summarizes much of the recent spectroscopic information on arsenic speciation in minerals and other solid phases that are analogous to phases present in aquifer sediments. These data are primarily derived from analysis of synthetic samples or natural model compounds. 

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