Sean Roberts
- Associate Professor
- Education Faculty Director, Center for Dyanamics & Control of Materials: an NSF MRSEC
- Chemistry
Contact Information
Research
Due to its ability to transmit energy and information through space, light plays a central role in nearly all aspects of human society. Research in the Roberts group focuses on developing materials that can transduce light into readily usable forms of energy. Most of our research revolves around the fact that light delivers its energy in the form of photons, discrete particles whose energy must be ideally matched to their intended application. Our group works to develop materials that reshape light, by either combining the energy of multiple low-energy photons to generate high-energy photons or using individual high-energy photons to produce multiple lower energy ones. Such transformations can enable new light-driven technologies, such as high-efficiency solar cells, infrared light detectors, and photocatalysts. To optimize the function of these materials, we employ and develop ultrafast spectroscopy techniques that can track the behavior of photoexcited electrons with femtosecond time resolution and a spatial resolution of a few tens of nanometers.
Research Areas
- Energy
- Materials Science
- Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
Fields of Interest
- Physical Chemistry
- Materials
- Chemical Theory and Computation
Centers and Institutes
- Center for Dynamics & Control of Materials: an NSF MRSEC
- Texas Quantum Institute
Education
- PhD - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- BS - University of California, Los Angeles
Publications
Five Recent Publications:
T. S. Volek, M. A. Verkamp, G. N. Ruiz, A. J. Staat, B. C. Li, M. J. Rose, J. D. Eaves, & S. T. Roberts, “Slowed Singlet Exciton Fission Enhances Triplet Exciton Transport in Select Perylenediimide Crystals” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 146(43), 29575-87, (2024).
K. S. Wilson, T. S. Volek, N. Gross, S. Link, C. R. Baiz, & S. T. Roberts, “Transient Absorption Microscopy using Widefield Lock-in Camera Imaging” J. Phys. Chem. C. 128(28), 11723-31, (2024).
T. S. Volek, Z. T. Armstrong, J. K. Sowa, K. S. Wilson, M. Bohlmann Kunz, K. Bera, M. Koble, R. R. Frontiera, P. J. Rossky, M. T. Zanni, & S. T. Roberts, “Structural Disorder at the Edges of Rubrene Crystals Enhances Singlet Fission” J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 14(50), 11497-505, (2023). Featured Editorial.
C. J. O’Dea, J. Isokuortti, E. E. Comer, S. T. Roberts, & Z. A. Page, “Triplet Upconversion Under Ambient Conditions Enables Digital Light Processing 3D Printing” ACS Cent. Sci. 10(2), 272-82, (2024). Press Release.
K. Wang, R. P. Cline, J. Schwan, J. M. Strain, S. T. Roberts, L. Mangolini, J. D. Eaves, & M. L. Tang, “Efficient Photon Upconversion Enabled by Strong Coupling Between Silicon Quantum Dots and Anthracene” Nat. Chem. 15, 1172-78, (2023), Press Release.
Awards
- Sloan Research Fellowship
- Cottrell Scholars Award
- NSF CAREER Award
- ACS Partners for Progress and Prospertity Award