Nonlinear Optical Spectroscopic Studies of Polymers and Liquid Crystals

本研究项目的重点是发展和应用非线性光学技术来研究聚合物和液晶。和频振动光谱学将成为表征聚合物表面和界面的有力工具。它将在分子水平上获得不同环境下各种聚合物表面结构的独特信息。由于聚合物表面在许多应用中发挥着重要作用，我们的研究结果将对聚合物科学和技术产生持久的影响。同样的光谱技术可以应用于许多其他界面，并将对物理和生物科学的许多表面相关学科产生广泛的影响。将该技术应用于液晶界面，可以更好地理解和控制表面对液晶器件的影响。非线性光谱学技术在化学和生物科学中都具有重要的应用价值，可作为探测有机薄膜中分子手性和客体/主体相互作用的灵敏工具。这个研究项目的重点是聚合物和液晶的非线性光学研究。一种强大的激光光谱技术作为一种在分子水平上表征聚合物表面和界面结构的独特工具正在被开发。这种特性使得通过材料设计来控制聚合物表面特性成为可能。因此，我们的研究结果将对聚合物科学和技术产生非常强烈的影响，因为聚合物表面在许多应用中发挥着重要作用。更一般地说，表面和界面在几乎所有科学和技术领域都非常重要，本技术适用于其中的大多数领域。例如，对液晶界面的研究使人们能够了解如何使用液晶显示设备的特殊设计表面来控制设备特性。其他激光技术正在被开发为探测分子手性（生物分子的重要特性）的灵敏工具，并研究少量外来分子如何控制大量宿主分子的行为。学生们在这个实验室里有独特的机会学习跨学科领域高质量研究的思想和技能，并获得开发新型激光光谱技术的专门知识。这个项目吸引了优秀的学生，尤其是那些弱势群体的学生。这些学生在广泛的跨学科领域接受尖端激光光谱技术和研究技能的严格培训。学生们为将来从事许多可能的学科做好了充分的准备

This research project focuses on development and applications of nonlinear optical techniques to study polymers and liquid crystals. Sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy will be developed as a powerful tool to characterize polymer surfaces and interfaces. It will yield unique information on surface structures of various polymers in different environments at the molecular level. Since polymer surfaces play an important role in many applications, our results will have lasting impact on polymer science and technology. The same spectroscopic technique can be applied to many other interfaces and will have broad influences on many surface-related disciplines of physical and biological sciences. Applying this technique to liquid crystal interfaces will provide a better understanding and control of the effects of surfaces on liquid crystal devices. Nonlinear optical spectroscopic techniques are also being developed as sensitive tools to probe molecular chirality and guest/host interactions in organic thin films, both being of great importance in chemistry and bioscience. %%%This research project focuses on nonlinear optical studies of polymers and liquid crystals. A powerful laser spectroscopic technique is being developed as a unique tool to characterize structures of polymer surfaces and interfaces at the molecular level. Such characterization makes control of polymer surface properties by material design possible. Our results will therefore have very strong impact on polymer science and technology since polymer surfaces play an important role in many applications. More generally, surfaces and interfaces are of great importance in almost all areas of science and technology, and this technique is applicable to most of them. Study of liquid crystal interfaces, for example, enables one to learn how specially designed surfaces of a liquid crystal display device can be used to control the device characteristics. Other laser techniques are being developed as sensitive tools to probe molecular chirality, an important characteristic property of bio-molecules, and to study how a small amount of foreign molecules can control the behavior of a large number of host molecules. Students find unique opportunities in this laboratory to learn ideas and skills for high-quality research in interdisciplinary areas and to obtain know-how on development of novel laser spectroscopic techniques. This project is attracts top students, especially those in under-represented groups. These students receive rigorous training on cutting-edge laser spectroscopic techniques and research skills in a broad interdisciplinary area. The students are well prepared for future careers in many possible disciplines.***