U.S.-Netherlands Cooperative Research: State-Selective Detection of Products from State-Selected and Oriented Reactants (Chemistry)

该奖项将支持加州大学圣克鲁斯分校化学系的David H.Parker博士和荷兰奈梅亨天主教大学的Steven Stolte博士之间为期两年的化学合作研究项目。研究人员将结合激光方法检测和表征交叉分子束反应中形成的分子的最新进展，以及在选定的旋转和振动状态下制备反应物种的技术。此外，还将强调方向性，如反应性对反应物取向的依赖(所谓的空间位阻效应)，它提供了化学反应如何进行的详细信息。Parker博士在应用激光电离技术检测火焰、超音速膨胀和其他具有挑战性的环境中的反应产物方面拥有丰富的经验。通过仔细选择用于探测反应产物的激光的频率，他还可以确定这些产物所处的特定能级。奈梅亨的斯托尔特教授领导着一个研究小组，该小组开发了一种优雅的方法，可以在选定的方向和能量状态下产生分子束，允许它们与各种其他物种反应，并在发生反应时检测产物以及产物化学发光的排列。通过合作对几个精心挑选的反应进行详细研究，两位科学家希望加强目前对分子反应动力学的知识，特别是更好地了解化学反应是如何在最基本的水平上发生的。这项奖励的资金将支持美国首席调查员必要的交通和生活费用。荷兰政府也通过奈梅亨天主教大学为该项目提供支持。

This award will support a two-year cooperative research project in chemistry between Dr. David H. Parker, Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, and Dr. Steven Stolte, Catholic University Nijmegen, The Netherlands. The investigators will combine recent advances in laser methods for detection and characterization of molecules formed in crossed-molecular-beam reactions with techniques which prepare the reacting species in selected rotational and vibrational states. In addition, directional properties such as the dependence of the reactivity on the orientation of the reactants (the so-called steric effect), which provide intimate details on how a chemical reaction proceeds, will be emphasized. Dr. Parker has considerable experience in applying the technique of laser ionization to detect reaction products in flames, supersonic expansions, and other challenging environments. By carefully selecting the frequency of the laser light used in probing for reaction products, he can also determine the specific energy level or levels those product species are in. Professor Stolte, in Nijmegen, leads a research group that has developed elegant methods for producing beams of molecules in selected orientations and energy states, allowing them to react with various other species, and detecting the products as well as the alignment of product chemiluminescence when it occurs. By cooperating in a detailed study of a few carefully selected reactions, the two scientists expect to enhance current knowledge of molecular reaction dynamics, and in particular to gain a better understanding of how a chemical reaction takes place on the most basic level. Funds from this award will support necessary transportation and subsistence expenses for the U.S. principal investigator. The government of The Netherlands, through the Catholic University Nijmegen, is also providing support for the project.