Light-matter interactions are fundamental to the existence of life and matter as we know it. The absorption of sunlight by plants is the biosphere's main source of energy. Light-matter interactions also play a central role in our modern society and cultures, for example in our perception of our environment and in various modern tools such as the exchange of information via the Internet.
In these lectures, light-matter interactions will be dealt with by focusing on molecular media. The first two lectures will cover molecular photophysics and photochemistry, with a brief history of the use of phototherapy and the development of spectroscopic tools that led to the development of photochemistry. Examples of photochemical reactions such as photosynthesis and photoisomerization will illustrate the processes and principles involved. Light-metal interactions will then be presented. These form a field known as "plasmonics", where the miniaturization of photonics will be discussed. The technological impact of this field will be illustrated in the context of the detection of single biomolecules and modern biomedical probes. The last two lectures will deal with light-matter interactions in the so-called weak and strong coupling regimes. In these regimes, described by quantum electrodynamics, the properties of molecules can be affected to such an extent that chemical reactivity or electrical conductivity, for example, are modified. The lecture series will conclude with a discussion of future prospects for research into light-matter interactions in physical chemistry.
A two-day symposium entitled "New QED Landscapes for Molecules and Materials" will be held on June 18 and 19, bringing together some twenty experts from around the world to present their work at the frontiers of knowledge on light-matter interactions in molecular media.