Highly sensitive infrared spectrometer

The mid-infrared light from 2.5 to 25 μm is the fingerprint region of fundamental vibrations and associated ro-vibrational transitions of matter. In multiple disciplines, ranging from chemistry, biology, physics, environmental and material science, to astronomy, spectroscopy in this region has been crucial to identify functional group or structures and provide basic understanding. Conventional absorption infrared spectrometers cannot be used to study exotic molecules, transient species, and fleeting reaction intermediates, often only available in trace amounts. Therefore, we will develop a state-of-the-art, tabletop infrared action spectrometer integrated with our high resolution and high sensitivity time-of-flight mass spectrometry setup. The instrument will be able to probe trace amounts, allowing to identify the metal cluster interactions with small molecules, to study the cluster and dust-grain particle formation mechanisms in space, and to detect recurrent fluorescence photons after vibrational excitation.

Keywords:infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, photophysics and photochemistry, atomic and molecular clusters, reaction intermediates, interstellar molecules, computational chemistry

Disciplines:Chemistry of clusters, colloids and nanomaterials, Spectroscopic methods, Astrochemistry, Molecular physics, Quantum chemistry, Reaction kinetics and dynamics