Strong Field Chemistry: Control Using the Radical Cation Launch State

Temple University, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

In this award, funded by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms (CSDM-A) Program of the Division of Chemistry, Professor Robert Levis of Temple University and his graduate and undergraduate student researchers are doing experimental and computational studies to study the chemical reactivity of prototype molecules excited by ultrafast lasers. Prof. Levis and his group are attempting to understand the reactivity of molecules whose structures place them near so-called ?conical intersections?. These conical intersections are ubiquitous in a wide number of chemical contexts, but they remain poorly-understood except for the simplest chemical systems. These studies should help scientists better understand an important class of chemical reactions. Student researchers working on this project receive excellent training in experimental and computational physical chemistry. This project benefits from the collaboration with Dr. Spiridoula Matsika, a computational chemist at Temple University. Prof. Levis and his research group are conducting a series of experimental and modeling studies of the behavior of gas-phase alkylphenones undergoing strong-field excitation. The specific experiments to be carried out include: (1) spectroscopic studies of a series of alkylphenone molecules with strong-field mass spectrometry as a function of the wavelength of the excitation pulse; (2) investigations of the control of pre-ionized molecules to facilitate higher fidelity chemical control; (3) studies of the dynamics of alkylphenones in the vicinity of conical intersections using the radical cation launch state and strong fields to dress and Stark shift the pertinent potential surfaces; and (4) computational studies of the interaction of strong laser fields with polyatomic molecules to model the observations of experiment. Students working on this project receive excellent training in chemical physics that prepares them to become globally-engaged members of the technical workforce.