Polarized Electron Physics

该奖项由2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助。该项目涉及极化电子（具有明确定义的自旋）与手性分子或“手”分子以及简单双原子分子之间的碰撞研究。 这些实验解决了关于电子-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，天体物理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。 后者的工作有望为生物和材料研究以及工业提供新的分析工具。这些实验的影响将超越原子、分子和光学科学的直接社区。除了更广泛的科学影响外，这项工作还将具有重要的教育意义。从事这些项目的本科生将获得他们在科学研究方面的第一次经验。为了扩大原子、分子和光学物理学的人才库，将特别招聘妇女和代表性不足的少数民族担任这些职位。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话题，将定期给高中和民间团体，并有助于说明基础物理学的美丽，以大量的外行观众。

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.