Listening to Chemical Materials: Determination of the Photophysical Parameters by Photoacoustic Spectroscopy

Recently, photoacoustic (PA) spectroscopy has emerged as a valuable tool for the study of various kinds of materials. Herein, we present the results of PA spectral studies of chemical materials. First, the PA study on luminescent materials in condensed states is reported. Combining with the luminescence technique, the energy transfer efficiency and the intrinsic luminescence quantum yield are determined for a europium (III) complex in the glassy state, smectic A phase, and the isotropic liquid. Second, neodymium (III) compounds with l-glycine, l-phenylalanine, and l-tryptophan are synthesized and their PA spectra are reported. The nephelauxetic ratio and Sinha parameter are calculated based on the PA spectra. The environmental effect on the f–f transitions of the neodymium(III) ion is also studied.