Bimolecular chemistry at very low temperatures. Many chemical reactions involve short-lived and highly reactive intermediates that cannot be observed under ordinary reaction conditions. Hence, much of this chemistry is shrouded in mystery. This project aims to develop the ability to observe and monitor such reactions directly using a combination of spectroscopies at very low temperatures, where the molecules are more stable and reactions slower. These studies will give quantitative information ....Bimolecular chemistry at very low temperatures. Many chemical reactions involve short-lived and highly reactive intermediates that cannot be observed under ordinary reaction conditions. Hence, much of this chemistry is shrouded in mystery. This project aims to develop the ability to observe and monitor such reactions directly using a combination of spectroscopies at very low temperatures, where the molecules are more stable and reactions slower. These studies will give quantitative information on the nature of the reactive intermediates themselves, the nature of the products formed, and the reaction dynamics, and they are of fundamental importance for an understanding of chemical reactivity generally. The methodology developed will be applicable to the investigation of a wide range of processes.Read moreRead less
Development of a test bed for molecular memory and molecular photovoltaic devices. The development of nanostructured materials and the devices that utilize them is at the forefront of modern science and technology. Electrical devices whose functional units are structurally ordered single molecules dominate biochemical processes, especially pertinent ones being photosynthesis and cellular energy production; artificial devices promise new technologies in multi-$B markets such as long-term data st ....Development of a test bed for molecular memory and molecular photovoltaic devices. The development of nanostructured materials and the devices that utilize them is at the forefront of modern science and technology. Electrical devices whose functional units are structurally ordered single molecules dominate biochemical processes, especially pertinent ones being photosynthesis and cellular energy production; artificial devices promise new technologies in multi-$B markets such as long-term data storage and renewable solar-energy production. Interfacing molecules with macroscopic interconnects poses a great technological challenge, however, and in this project the underlying basic science will be determined through the formation of molecules into device-accessible functional materials.Read moreRead less
Gas phase studies of the interactions of electrons with peptide ions: structure assignment and fundamentals. Electron-induced reactions are fundamental to a wide range of processes that underlie many areas of science and technology, ranging from planetary atmospheres, industrial plasmas to living tissues. Since ionizing radiation is believed to be a major cause of damage to living cells, understanding electron interactions with biological molecules is essential to predict the consequences of ex ....Gas phase studies of the interactions of electrons with peptide ions: structure assignment and fundamentals. Electron-induced reactions are fundamental to a wide range of processes that underlie many areas of science and technology, ranging from planetary atmospheres, industrial plasmas to living tissues. Since ionizing radiation is believed to be a major cause of damage to living cells, understanding electron interactions with biological molecules is essential to predict the consequences of exposure. Structure determination of biomolecules is at the heart of identifying, diagnosing and potentially developing treatments for diseases, and thus another important reason for studying these interactions is the potential to develop new mass spectrometry based analytical methods.Read moreRead less