Direct observation of elementary radical events: low- and high-energy radiation femtochemistry in solutions

The fundamental importance of understanding the primary effects of ionizing radiations in liquid phase and solutions is emphasized in fields such as electron transfer reactions, radical chemistry and radiobiology. With the advent of ultrashort optical pulses and powerful laser systems (TW lasers), ultrafast spectroscopic investigations might conjecture the direct observation of primary events induced by low-energy (photons) and high-energy, (relativistic electrons) radiations. The different points discussed in this paper concern the investigation of short-time solvent caging effects on elementary radical reactions in homogeneous liquid phase and nascent spurs. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.