ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses how photophysics can be instrumental in studying dynamic processes in supramolecular structures. Probe molecules report on the properties of their surroundings. Those molecules with finite lifetimes, such as excited states, will only report information regarding the volume that is explored before decaying back to their ground states. In order to study dynamic processes, the relationship between the lifetime of the probe and the time during which the dynamic process of interest occurs has to be considered. Organic molecules in their excited singlet or triplet states have been employed as photophysical probes. The main advantage in measuring fluorescence is the sensitivity of the technique. The chapter focuses on the mobility of molecules between supramolecular structures and the homogeneous phase. Fluorescence probe molecules have found widespread use in the characterization of supramolecular systems because fluorescence is an established technique which provides excellent signal-to-noise ratios.
