MRI: Acquisition of a Pulsed Laser/Detection System for Time-Resolved Studies of Molecular Complexes

惠顿学院的Maria Buthelezi教授及其同事John Collins和陈学生将获得重大研究仪器(MRI)计划颁发的这一奖项，他们将获得一个脉冲激光/探测系统，其中包括一个可调谐染料激光系统、一个探测系统和一个低温冰箱系统。该奖项将加强各级的研究、培训和教育，特别是在(A)光致变色分子的主/客相互作用的研究，以及(B)固态材料的发光性质的研究方面。可调谐激光器是一种其工作波长可以以受控方式改变的激光器。染料激光器使用有机染料作为激光介质，提供了一个可以在广泛的波长范围内使用的系统。其中一些染料可以是通过荧光发光的大分子。可调谐染料激光/检测系统将实现激发态寿命和时间分辨荧光测量，这些测量对于研究分子络合物中发生的几个过程非常重要：导致构象状态的辐射衰减、非线性能量转移过程和荧光猝灭机制。这一工具还将促进惠顿学院化学、物理和生物之间的跨学科课程和研究互动。

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, Professor Maria Buthelezi from Wheaton College and colleagues John Collins and Xuesheng Chen will acquire a pulsed laser/detection system with a tunable dye laser system, a detection system, and a cryogenic refrigerator system. The award will enhance research training and education at all levels, especially in the areas of (a) studies of host/guest interactions of photochromic molecules, and (b) luminescence properties of solid state materials. A tunable laser is a laser whose wavelength of operation can be altered in a controlled manner. The dye laser uses an organic dye as the lasing medium giving a system that can be used over a broad range of wavelengths. Some of the dyes can be large molecules that emit light via fluorescence. The tunable dye laser/detection system will enable excited-state lifetime and time-resolved fluorescence measurements that are important to the investigation of several processes that occur in molecular complexes: radiative decay that leads to conformational states, non-linear energy transfer processes, and fluorescence quenching mechanisms. This instrumentation will also foster the interdisciplinary curricular and research interactions between chemistry, physics and biology at Wheaton College.