Research Symposium

BIO

Elsa Theodros is a current second year student at Florida State University working towards her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry while minoring in Biological Sciences. She's a former member of the Inter-Residence Hall Council as well as the National Residence Hall Honorary and am a current member of the Student Government Association RSO Allocation Committee as well as Remote Area Medical. Her research focuses on high field magnetic resonance of optically excited states and currently works with her mentor Johan Van Tol at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. She plans on continuing her education after finishing her undergraduate studies and currently has an internship lined up for the summer of 2026, where she'll assist a professor in his research overseas.

Development of High Field Magnetic Resonance of Optically Excited States

Abstract

When electrons become excited, they transition to a higher energy state. Typically, this state is short-lived, but a special configuration of two unpaired electrons, specifically known as a triplet state, prevents them from returning to their ground state for long periods. Studying the behavior of triplet states is important for understanding phenomena where materials can absorb light, store its energy, and then emit it over time. Pentacene is a type of crystal which can achieve triplet states if it interacts with light while under a magnetic field. We used magnetic resonance spectrometry to understand and track our results. It’s expected that we will see high visible light absorption due to the activation of excited triplet states by way of our readings of a laser directed through a lens and two small mirrors. Although the triplet states of pentacene are shorter-lived than some other materials, our results can be used to better understand other material’s behavior and usages in comparison to our own.

Keywords: Physics, Physical Chemistry, Coordination Chemistry