Spectroscopic Investigations of Exotic Carbon, Silicon and Sulfur Molecules

在这项由实验物理化学计划和银河天文计划部分共同资助的奖项中，史密森学会天体物理天文台的Patrick Thaddeus和Michael McCarthy将结合超声波分子束、长程毫米波光谱学和激光光谱学，研究假设的碳和硅分子的旋转和电子光谱。许多新的分子，包括更大的纯碳团簇、类似的半导体和混合金属团簇、反应性六元碳环及其衍生物，以及其他含有杂原子的分子，如N、O、S或P，都将利用现有的仪器来检测。随着计划中的仪器改进，将检测和研究更大的活性物种。将被检测的分子在工业过程中的反应中间体中扮演着重要的角色，包括燃烧和半导体生长，而且具有天文学意义，因为它们的组成和结构与已经在致密的分子云中或从演化恒星流出的气体中检测到的分子相似。这项研究预计将影响科学研究和技术创新的多个领域，因为碳和硅化学在燃烧、材料科学和天文学等不同领域发挥着重要作用。到目前为止，许多待研究的活性分子鲜为人知；事实上，很少有人在光谱的任何区域发现它们。学生和合作者将从他们积极参与这项研究项目中受益。

In this award, supported by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program with partial cofunding from the Galactic Astronomy Program, Patrick Thaddeus and Michael McCarthy of the Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory will study the rotational and electronic spectra of postulated carbon and silicon molecules using Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy in combination with supersonic molecular beam, long-path millimeter-wave spectroscopy, and laser spectroscopy. The rotational spectra of many new molecules, including larger pure carbon clusters, similar semiconductor and mixed-metal clusters, reactive six-member carbon rings and their derivatives, and other molecules containing heteroatoms such as N, O, S, or P, will be detected with available instrumentation. With planned instrument refinements, even larger reactive species will be detected and studied. The molecules to be examined play important roles in reactive intermediates in industrial processes, including combustion and semiconductor growth, and are astronomically relevant because they are similar in composition and structure to molecules that have already been detected in dense molecular clouds or in the gas streaming away from evolved stars. This research is expected to impact a number of areas of scientific research and technological innovation, because of the important role that carbon and silicon chemistry play in fields as diverse as combustion, materials science, and astronomy. Many of the reactive molecules to be studied are little known so far; in fact, few of them have been identified in any region of the spectrum. Students and collaborators will benefit from their active involvement in this research project.