High Resolution Molecular Beam Spectroscopy and Model Potential Energy Surfaces

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In this project in the Physical Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Professor John Muenter of the University of Rochester will study weakly bound van der Waals complexes using a number of spectroscopic methods with the intent of exploring intermolecular potential energies. Included in the experiments are molecular beam electric resonance studies of hyperfine and tunneling splittings, infrared laser studies of new acetylene systems with extension to ethylene, and pulsed laser studies to extend the determination of high resolution parameters to excited electronic states of monomeric species. There is a theoretical component which aims to extend and test Muenter's simple model for intermolecular potentials by adding polarizability terms. %%% The forces between individual molecules affect every aspect of chemistry, from gas phase kinetics to in vivo biochemistry. In recent years, high resolution molecular beam spectroscopy has studied intermolecular interactions by observing the structure and properties of weakly bound cluster molecules. These species, made up of two or more stable molecules held together by weak bonds, contain considerable information about the forces and energies which govern the motions within the complexes. This program combines a theoretical model for describing these forces and energies with an experimental program which aims at gathering data to validate and refine this model.