Taking the Pulse of Molecular Rotational Spectroscopy
Taking the Pulse of Molecular Rotational Spectroscopy
复制标题
把握分子旋转光谱的脉搏
作者：
B. Pate
分子旋转光谱学的新方法将表征更复杂的样品，并创建星际物体的化学图像。分子旋转光谱法是测定气相分子结构最有效的工具。即使原子之间的距离或质量（不同的同位素）的微小变化也会以可预测和可测量的方式改变它们的旋转光谱(1)。就像滑冰运动员通过改变姿势旋转得更快或更慢一样，结构的变化也会改变分子的旋转方式。对于某些分子来说，可能存在丰富的尴尬-自然发生的许多不同的同位素组合（同位素体）导致复杂的重叠光谱。在本刊1011页，Schröter等人(2)报道了一种利用超快激光脉冲将旋转光谱与质谱耦合的方法来整理这些光谱。结果是一种具有令人印象深刻的灵敏度和广泛适用性的技术。
New methods in molecular rotational spectroscopy will characterize more complex samples and create chemical images of interstellar objects. Molecular rotational spectroscopy is the most incisive tool available for structure determination of gas-phase molecules. Even small changes in the distances between atoms or in their mass (different isotopes) alter their rotational spectrum in predictable and measurable ways (1). Much as an ice skater spins faster or slower by changing posture, structural changes alter how a molecule rotates. For some molecules, there can be an embarrassment of riches—the natural occurrence of many different isotope combinations (isotopomers) leads to complex overlapping spectra. On page 1011 of this issue, Schröter et al. (2) report a method for sorting out these spectra by coupling rotational spectroscopy with mass spectrometry through the use of ultrafast laser pulses. The result is a technique with impressive sensitivity and broad applicability.