Transient 2D-IR spectroscopy: Towards a molecular movie

In NMR spectroscopy, multidimensional methods allow for fascinating insights into molecular structure and dynamics. With the introduction of ultrafast two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy, these concepts now enter the optical domain, measuring couplings and correlations between molecular vibrations with picosecond time resolution. The time resolution is sufficient to investigate transient species far away from equilibrium during fast photochemical reactions in real-time. Numerous applications of the method are found in chemistry and in biophysics.