Does DMABN undergo large amplitude motion in the solid state?

Femtosecond spectroscopy has until now mainly focused on isolated chromophores (in the gas phase or in solution) or on semiconductors. Studies on molecular crystals are scarce. Because of the potential application of such crystals in photonic devices and as an indispensable supplement for the emerging field of fs-time resolved X-ray diffraction optical experiments on molecular solids are highly desirable. Here comparative experiments on a prototypical chromophore in solution and in a neat molecular crystal are presented.