SGER: Coherent Phase Control of Complex Systems

University Of Illinois At Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

In this Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER), funded by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division and the Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Program of the Physics Division, Prof. Robert Gordon of the University of Illinois at Chicago and his graduate research students will principally investigate using coherent control techniques to melt and ablate condensed phase materials. Additional work will concentrate on using coherent control techniques to selectively break bonds in polyatomic molecules. The ability to carefully control the melting and ablation of materials with tailored ultrafast laser pulses may allow the creation of interesting materials with a wide variety of uses. Some possibilities include the creation of scaffolds for tissue engineering, the selective ablation of specific chemical compounds in complex mixtures, and the carefully controlled destruction of tissue in laser surgery. In addition to the broader scientific impacts of the proposed research, the PI will continue to train a diverse group of undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral students in experimental chemical physics.