News & Events

Broadband Rotational Spectroscopy: From Complex Gas Mixtures to Chiral Analysis

Date: 
Wednesday, April 21, 2021 - 10:00 to 11:00
Speaker: 
Dr. Alicia O. Hernandez-Castillo
Affiliation: 
Department of Molecular Physics, Fritz-Haber-Institut, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
Event Category: 
Special Seminar
Location: 
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Abstract:

The ability to accurately determining the three dimensional structure of a molecule is highly relevant in all fields of chemistry. Rotational spectroscopy is a well-known and powerful tool for determining the structure of gas phase molecules, and with the development of chirped-pulse Fourier transform microwave (CP-FTMW) spectroscopy, data acquisition times are reduced immensely, allowing for a broader set of applications. During my talk I will use two examples to demonstrate the utility of using a multiplexed approach by combining broadband microwave spectroscopy with optical methods. First, a combination of broadband microwave spectroscopy and VUV photoionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to acquire the pure rotational spectrum of phenoxy radical. [1,2] Second, the advancements towards maximizing state-specific enantiomeric enrichment for highly sensitive chiral analysis will be described. These are made possible using a joint high-resolution laser induced fluorescence and microwave spectroscopy instrument. [3] 

[1] Fritz, S. M., Hays, B. M., Hernandez-Castillo, A. O., Abeysekera, C. & Zwier, T. S. Rev Sci Instrum 89, 093101, (2018).
[2] Hernandez-Castillo, A. O., Abeysekera, C., Stanton, J. F. & Zwier, T. S. J Phys Chem Lett 10, 2919-2923, (2019).
[3] Hernandez-Castillo, A. O. et al. Phys Chem Chem Phys, (2021) Advance Article (doi.org/10.1039/D0CP06170K).