Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2026

Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals
Published on: May 29, 2018
Collective vibrational modes in biological molecules investigated by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy
M Walther1, P Plochocka, B Fischer
1Department of Molecular and Optical Physics, Fakultät für Physik, Albert-Ludwigs Universität Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Strasse 19, Germany.
Abstract:
We present well-resolved absorption spectra of biological molecules in the far-IR (FIR) spectral region recorded by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). As an illustrative example we discuss the absorption spectra of benzoic acid, its monosubstitutes salicylic acid (2-hydroxy-benzoic acid), 3- and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, and aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) in the spectral region between 18 and 150 cm(-1). The spectra exhibit distinct features originating from low-frequency vibrational modes caused by intra- or intermolecular collective motion and lattice modes. Due to the collective origin of the observed modes the absorption spectra are highly sensitive to the overall structure and configuration of the molecules, as well as their environment. The THz-TDS procedure can provide a direct fingerprint of the molecular structure or conformational state of a compound.
More Related Videos
09:57Ultrafast Time-resolved Near-IR Stimulated Raman Measurements of Functional π-conjugate Systems
Published on: February 10, 2020
08:54Vibrational Spectra of a N719-Chromophore/Titania Interface from Empirical-Potential Molecular-Dynamics Simulation, Solvated by a Room Temperature Ionic Liquid
Published on: January 25, 2020
Related Concept Videos
¹H NMR of Conformationally Flexible Molecules: Temporal Resolution
Molecular Spectroscopy: Absorption and Emission
UV–Vis Spectroscopy: Molecular Electronic Transitions
IR Spectroscopy: Molecular Vibration Overview
Stretching vibrations are vibrational motions that occur along the bond line, changing the bond length or distance between two bonded atoms. They are further distinguished as symmetric or asymmetric. In symmetric stretching, the...
IR Spectroscopy: Hooke's Law Approximation of Molecular Vibration
According to Hooke's law, the vibrational frequency is directly proportional to the...
IR Absorption Frequency: Hybridization
Among the sp, sp2, and sp3 hybridized orbitals, sp orbitals have the maximum s character (50%). Consequently, the electrons are held more closely to the nucleus, resulting in stronger and shorter C–H bonds that stretch at a...