Polarized Electron Physics

极化电子物理

• 批准号: 0855629
• 负责人: Timothy Gay
• 金额: $ 61万
• 依托单位: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-08-15 至 2012-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0855629&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Polarized; Electron; Physics

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This project involves the study of collisions between polarized electrons (with well-defined spin) and chiral, or "handed" molecules as well as simple diatomic molecules. These experiments address physics questions about the dynamics of electron-molecule scattering, particularly with regard to the role played by electron spin in such collisions. They would also provide important information for applications requiring knowledge of basic electron-molecule scattering cross sections, including the modeling of industrial, astrophysical, and atmospheric plasmas. Improved sources and analyzers of polarized electrons will also be developed. This latter work holds the promise of providing new analytical tools for biological and materials research, and for industry. These experiments will have an impact beyond the immediate community of atomic, molecular, and optical science. In addition to its broader scientific implications, this work will have a significant educational component. Undergraduates working on these projects will have their first experience in scientific research. In an effort to expand the talent pool for atomic, molecular, and optical physics, women and underrepresented minorities will be especially recruited for these positions. The experiments with chiral molecules and their connection to astrobiological issues make an excellent topic for talks that will be given regularly to high school and civic groups, and serve to illustrate the beauty of basic physics to a large lay audience.

该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)资助的。该项目涉及研究极化电子(具有明确自旋的)与手性或“手性”分子以及简单双原子分子之间的碰撞。这些实验解决了有关电子-分子散射动力学的物理问题，特别是关于电子自旋在这种碰撞中所起的作用。它们还将为需要基本电子-分子散射截面知识的应用提供重要信息，包括工业等离子体、天体物理等离子体和大气等离子体的建模。还将开发改进的极化电子源和分析器。后一项工作有望为生物和材料研究以及工业提供新的分析工具。这些实验将产生超越原子、分子和光学科学直接社区的影响。除了其更广泛的科学意义外，这项工作还将具有重要的教育成分。参与这些项目的本科生将拥有他们的第一次科学研究经验。为了扩大原子、分子和光学物理的人才库，这些职位将特别招募女性和代表性不足的少数族裔。手性分子的实验及其与天体生物学问题的联系，是一个很好的演讲主题，将定期向高中和公民团体发表演讲，并向广大非专业听众展示基础物理学的美丽。