Abraham Nitzan

Donner Professor of Physical SciencesProfessor of Chemistry

215-898-2518

260A Cret

Website
Chemical Physics and Physical Chemistry, Theory Simulation and Modeling
Education
  • 1961-1964 Hebrew University, Jerusalem Chemistry B.Sc.
  • 1964-1965 Hebrew University, Jerusalem Chemistry M.Sc.
  • 1970-1972 Tel-Aviv University Chemistry Ph.D. 
Research Interests
Research in my group focuses on theoretical aspects of chemical dynamics, the branch of chemistry that describes the nature of physical and chemical processes that underline the progress of chemical reactions with the aim to achieve understanding of such processes and the ability to predict their course of evolution. In particular, our studies deal with chemical processes involving interactions between light and matter, chemical reactions in condensed phases and at interfaces and transport phenomena in complex systems, focusing mainly on the following directions:
  • Energy transfer processes in molecular systems. 
  • Molecular dynamics in condensed phases. 
  • Ionic transport in complex environments.
  • Optical properties and photochemistry of adsorbed molecules. 
  • Electron transport through molecular layers and wires. 
  • Classical and quantum thermodynamics of energy conversion processes. 

 

 


Courses Taught

Chemical Dynamics 526

Mathematics for Chemistry 721

Selected Publications

BOOK

A. Nitzan

Chemical Dynamics in Condensed Phases

Oxford University Press, 2006 (744 pages)

 

PAPERS (Last 15 years)

 

M. Sukharev and A. Nitzan

Optics of exciton-plasmon nanomaterials

J. Phys.: Cond. Matt. 29, 443003 (2017) 

 

G. T. Craven and A. Nitzan

Electron transfer across a thermal gradient

PNAS, 113, 9421–9429 (2016) 

 

C. Jia, A. Migliore, N. Xin, S. Huang, J. Wang, Q. Yang, S. Wang, H. Chen, D. Wang, B. Feng, Z. Liu, G. Zhang, D. Qu, Z. Liu, H. Tian, M. A. Ratner, H. Xu, A. Nitzan*, and X Guo* (*Corresponding Authors)

Covalently bonded single-molecule junctions with stable and reversible photoswitched conductivity

Science, 352, 1443-45 (2016)

 

K. Kaasbjerg and A. Nitzan

Theory of light emission from quantum noise in plasmonic contacts: above-threshold

emission from higher-order electron-plasmon scattering

Phys. Rev. Letters, 114, 126803(1-5) (2015)

 

A. Migliore and A. Nitzan

Irreversibility and hysteresis in redox molecular conduction junctions

J.Am.Chem.Soc, 135, 9420-32 (2013)

 

K. Kaasbjerg, T. Novotny and A. Nitzan

Carrier-induced renormalization of vibrational frequencies in nanoscale junctions: Signatures of vibrational damping and heating

Phys. Rev. B (Rapid Communication), 88, 201405(R) (2013) (Editor Choice)

 

J. Gersten, K. Kaasbjerg and A. Nitzan

Induced spin filtering in electron transmission through chiral molecular layers adsorbed on metals with strong spin-orbit coupling

J. Chem. Phys. 139, 114111(1-20) (2013)

 

H. Nakanishi, K. J. M. Bishop, B. Kowalczyk, A. Nitzan, E. A. Weiss, K. V. Tretiakov, M. M. Apodaca, R. Klajn, J. F. Stoddart and B. A. Grzybowski

Photoconductance and inverse photoconductance in films of functionalized metal nanoparticles

Nature, 460, 371-375 (2009)

 

S. S. Skourtis, D. N. Beratan, R. Naaman, A. Nitzan and D. H. Waldeck

Chiral control of electron transmission through molecules

Phys. Rev. Letters, 101, 238103(1-4) (2008)

 

M. Galperin, M.A. Ratner, A. Nitzan and A. Troisi

Nuclear Coupling and Polarization in Molecular Transport Junctions: Beyond Tunneling to Function

Science, 319, 1056-1060 (2008)

 

M. Galperin, M.A. Ratner and A. Nitzan

Heat conduction in molecular transport junctions

Phys. Rev. B 75, 155312(1-14) (2007)

 

M. Galperin, A. Nitzan, and M. A. Ratner

Resonant inelastic tunneling in molecular junctions

Phys. Rev. B 73, 045314 (1-13) (2006)

 

M. Galperin, M. A. Ratner and A. Nitzan

Hysteresis, switching, and negative differential resistance in molecular junctions: A polaron Model

Nano Letters, 5, 125-130 (2005)

 

D. Segal and A. Nitzan

A spin boson thermal rectifier

Phys. Rev Letters. 94, 034301 (1-4) (2005)

 

M. Galperin, M. Ratner and A. Nitzan

Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy in molecular junctions: Peaks and dips

J. Chem. Phys. 121, 11965-11979 (2004)

 

D. Segal, A. Nitzan and P. Hänggi

Thermal conductance through molecular wires

J. Chem. Phys. 119, 6840-6855 (2003)

 

A. Nitzan and Mark Ratner

Electron transport in molecular wire junctions: Models and Mechanisms

Science, 300, 1384-1389 (2003)

Affiliations
CV (file)
nitzancv.pdf396.82 KB