Workshop Details
Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Excitons: Bridging the Gap Between Quantum Mechanics and Applications
06/12/2021 - 06/16/2021
Meeting Description:

When light interacts with matter, it can be absorbed to create higher energy (excited) quantum states. These excited states are well-studied for isolated atoms and molecules. But when the light interacts with a collection of absorbing units (for example molecular assemblies, inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals, or a group of biological pigments embedded in a protein) the excited state is an exciton, a collective excitation with new properties that are qualitatively different from those of isolated absorbers. These novel properties include the ability to transport energy over large distances, as well as undergo fission/fusion processes that repackage energy.

There is a new urgency to achieve a quantitative understanding of the structure and dynamics of excitons because they play a key role in vital photonic processes, like solar energy conversion, lasing, and biological light harvesting. However, the fact that the exciton was introduced as a loosely defined virtual particle, often lacking a clear microscopic basis, has hindered the derivation of an unambiguous theoretical description. Furthermore, the large number of atoms involved in systems that exhibit excitonic behavior, like semiconductor quantum dots and light-harvesting membranes, makes first principles ab initio quantum calculations prohibitively expensive. Workers in the field often refer to any excited state in a solid as an âexcitonâ, making it challenging to compare different experimental results and material properties. For example, physicists usually describe excitons in terms of the Wannier framework of a bound electron-hole pair, while chemists and biologists typically rely on the Frenkel model of interacting multilevel systems.

The goal of this workshop is to focus attention on three key issues that we think can define the field and determine future directions.
1) How big is an exciton? Its spatial extent should determine its most convenient representation in momentum versus real space.
2) How does an exciton move? Excitons can move through both coherent and diffusive motion.
3) What are potential applications of excitons? There may be advantages to energy versus charge manipulation in optoelectronic devices and information processing.

We believe the development of new experimental tools that can capture both spatial and time domain information simultaneously, combined with advances in theory and computation, now make it possible to address these issues in a comprehensive way.


The workshop will invite both theoretical and experimental researchers from diverse fields (physics, chemistry, biology, engineering) whose research centers on gaining better information on the spatio-temporal dynamics of excitons and their novel applications. The workshop is intended to be truly interdisciplinary. While facilitating discussion among different groups, there will be effort to develop common language and concepts that can unify different practitioners. Both fundamental issues entailing quantum mechanical characterization of excitons and practical applications of excitons will be promoted. The workshop also envisions development of a predictive, quantitative understanding of excitons in complex systems that can lead to a unified picture of the light-matter interaction as well as new applications for energy generation, imaging, and information processing.

The registration fee includes two catered on-site lunches and one group dinner event.

IMPORTANT: Participants should note that the workshop runs Saturday through Wednesday. Because of the Bluegrass Festival that starts on Thursday (17th), discounted lodging rates are not available on Wednesday night. If your flight is on Thursday out of Montrose, we recommend having dinner in Telluride on Wednesday night and taking Telluride Express to Montrose after dinner. TSRC scientists are eligible for the corporate rate ($119 + tax) at the Hampton Inn (970-547-4120) next to the airport. The Holiday Inn Express is also a good option too although we do not have a discount with them.



Scientists are encouraged to consider bringing family or friends. Telluride offers a number of options for children's camps (including Telluride Academy, Ah Haa School for the Arts, and Pinhead Institute). There is more information on childcare, camps, and family activities on TSRC's website at Please contact Cindy Fusting at for more information.

Meeting Venue:

Telluride Intermediate School
725 West Colorado Ave Telluride, CO 81435
Click Here for Directions

Meeting Details:

Workshop Price: $ 499.00
Early Bird Lodging Discount Available Until: 01/15/2021

A $100.00 discount is applied to your lodging cost when you register before 01/15/2021.

Cancellation Policy: All cancelled registrations are subject to a $100 Cancellation Fee. TSRC can only guarantee a refund for the balance of fees and lodging charges paid when a refund is requested prior to the Cancellation Deadline that is specific to each workshop, which in this case is 05/12/2021. TSRC always recommends that participants purchase travel insurance to protect against unforeseen, last-minute travel plan changes.

Telluride Science Research Center
Post Office Box 2429, Telluride CO 81435
Tel: + 970.708.4426
Back to Top