Ultrafast Energy Dynamics of Strongly Coupled Vibrational Systems Studied with Nonlinear Terahertz Spectroscopy

化学部支持马萨诸塞州理工学院的Bradford Perkins作为美国化学竞争力研究员。 帕金斯博士将与基思纳尔逊教授一起研究凝聚相系统中振动能的流动。 特别是，该研究将使用超快太赫兹方法来探测从低能声子模式到高能分子振动模式的能量流动，这最终导致键断裂事件（化学）。 这项工作将与洛斯阿拉莫斯国家实验室的科学家合作进行。 对于他扩大参与的计划，PI将让波士顿地区的高中生，特别是那些来自科学领域代表性不足的群体的学生，参与太赫兹成像研究，作为“Lambda项目”的一部分。“像珀金斯博士这样的研究旨在更好地理解能量在分子材料中流动的机制。 特别是，在该奖项的支持下进行的研究将揭示能量如何从低能量形式转移到能够导致化学反应的更高能量形式的逐步机制-研究对于理解热启动过程很重要。 像这里支持的研究结果将导致更好的计算模型和新型材料，例如爆炸物，对国家安全具有重要意义的结果。 珀金斯博士正在努力扩大参与，目的是鼓励年轻人，特别是那些来自科学界代表性不足的群体的年轻人，通过在现代研究环境中接触实验室研究的兴奋来追求科学方面的高等教育。

The Division of Chemistry supports Bradford Perkins of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as an American Competitiveness in Chemistry Fellow. Dr. Perkins will work with Prof. Keith Nelson to investigate the flow of vibrational energy in condensed-phase systems. In particular, the research will use ultrafast terahertz methods to probe the flow of energy from low-energy phonon modes into higher-energy molecular vibrational modes, which ultimately leads to bond-breaking events (chemistry). The work will be carried out in collaboration with scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory. For his plan for broadening participation, the PI will engage Boston-area high school students, particularly those from groups underrepresented in science, in terahertz imaging research as part of the "Lambda Project."Research like that of Dr. Perkins is aimed at developing a better understanding of the mechanism of how energy flows in molecular materials. In particular, the research carried out with support from this award will reveal the step-by-step mechanisms of how energy moves from a low-energy form to a higher energy form that is capable of leading to chemical reaction -- research that is important in understanding thermally-initiated processes. Results from research like that supported here will lead to better computational models and new kinds of materials, e.g. explosives, outcomes which are of importance to national security. The efforts at broadening participation being pursued by Dr. Perkins are aimed at encouraging young people, especially those from groups underrepresented in the sciences, to pursue higher education in science, by providing exposure to the excitement of laboratory research in a modern research environment.