Purchase of Instrumentation for a Vibrational Sum Frequency Spectrometer

University Of Maryland, College Park, College Park MD

Investigators

Abstract

This award from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities (CRIF) Program will enable the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Maryland in College Park to purchase instrumentation for a vibrational sum frequency spectrometer. This equipment will be used primarily by junior faculty member Robert A. Walker, whose research focuses on solvation dynamics at solid:liquid and liquid:liquid interfaces using ultrafast, nonlinear optical methods. Surface specific vibrational sum frequency generation has emerged as an invaluable technique for investigating molecular structure and composition at all types of interfaces. This technique's popularity stems from its ability to provide detailed information about molecular conformation based on band positions and intensities. These studies will extend our understanding of solvent motion and relaxation at condensed phase surfaces.