Ultrafast ion detector for the study of molecular chirality

用于分子手性研究的超快离子探测器

• 批准号: RTI-2022-00061
• 负责人: Milner, Valery
• 金额: $ 10.37万
• 依托单位: University of British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=743019
• 关键词: Ultrafast; ion; detector; study; molecular

NEED and URGENCY. One of my ongoing research programs is on optical detection, manipulation and separation of chiral molecules. To study molecular chirality, we use an unconventional light source - a unique laser instrument known as an "optical centrifuge". In a series of recent proof-of-principle experiments, we demonstrated that a laser centrifuge may offer a long-sought universal (i.e. independent on the chemical structure) method for the detection and separation of chiral molecules according to their handedness, much like mechanical centrifuges separate molecules according to their mass. However, at this time, poor sensitivity of our ion detector prohibits any further in-depth studies of the optically centrifuged chiral molecules, preventing us from developing this important discovery into much needed practical applications. Upgrading our ion detector with an advanced "time stamping" capability, requested in this application, will immediately boost its sensitivity by a few orders of magnitude, allowing us to take full advantage of our unique laser technology. RESEARCH PROGRAM. Similar to a chemical reaction between two chiral molecules, an interaction of a chiral molecule with light depends on the handedness of both the molecular and optical "reagents". Traditionally, the chirality of the interacting photons has been provided by their circular polarization. My research program is based on an alternative form of a chiral light field - the field of an optical centrifuge. The centrifuge is a laser pulse whose linear polarization rotates at much slower angular frequencies than the polarization of a circularly polarized light. As a result, the centrifuge engages the rotational (rather than the electronic) degree of freedom of a chiral molecule, forcing the molecule to rotate regardless of its chemical composition or electronic resonances. On the other hand, the two opposite enantiomers of the same chiral molecule are spun by the optical centrifuge in distinctly different ways, as recently shown by my group. Our goal is to develop new methods not only for the universal detection of chiral molecules with non-resonant photons, but also for the enantio-selective control of chiral dynamics and manipulation of chiral molecules with laser light. ADVANCEMENT of KNOWLEDGE and TRAINING. Despite large investments and the vital need, no chemical or physical process is known to provide a universal method of detecting and separating molecular enantiomers, which would work independently of their specific molecular structure. The proposed study of chiral molecules in the optical centrifuge offers a promising laser-based approach to achieve this important goal. The requested upgrade of our ion detector with a very advanced and largely unfamiliar "time stamping" technology will provide our HQP with a unique research experience and a very marketable skill, applicable to both the academic and industrial sectors, where ion-based detectors are widely used.

需要和紧迫性。我正在进行的研究项目之一是手性分子的光学检测、操作和分离。为了研究分子的手性，我们使用了一种非传统的光源--一种被称为“光学离心机”的独特激光仪器。在最近的一系列原理验证实验中，我们证明了激光离心机可以提供一种长期寻求的通用（即独立于化学结构）方法，用于根据手性检测和分离手性分子，就像机械离心机根据质量分离分子一样。然而，目前我们的离子检测器灵敏度较差，无法对光学离心的手性分子进行进一步的深入研究，使我们无法将这一重要发现开发成急需的实际应用。升级我们的离子探测器，使其具有本应用中要求的先进“时间戳”功能，将立即将其灵敏度提高几个数量级，使我们能够充分利用我们独特的激光技术。研究报告类似于两个手性分子之间的化学反应，手性分子与光的相互作用取决于分子和光学“试剂”的手性。传统上，相互作用光子的手性由它们的圆偏振提供。我的研究计划是基于手性光场的另一种形式-光学离心机的领域。离心是一种激光脉冲，其线性偏振以比圆偏振光的偏振慢得多的角频率旋转。因此，离心机与手性分子的旋转（而不是电子）自由度接合，迫使分子旋转，而不管其化学组成或电子共振。另一方面，同一手性分子的两个相反的对映体被光学离心机以明显不同的方式旋转，正如我的团队最近所展示的那样。我们的目标是发展新的方法，不仅为通用的检测手性分子的非共振光子，而且为手性动力学的对映选择性控制和操纵手性分子的激光。知识和培训的进步。尽管大量的投资和迫切的需求，没有化学或物理方法是已知的，以提供一个通用的方法，检测和分离分子对映异构体，这将工作独立于他们的具体分子结构。在光学离心机中对手性分子的研究为实现这一重要目标提供了一种有前途的基于激光的方法。我们要求使用非常先进且很不熟悉的“时间戳”技术升级我们的离子检测器，这将为我们的HQP提供独特的研究经验和非常有市场的技能，适用于离子检测器广泛使用的学术和工业部门。