The Ohio State University has long been a center for atomic and molecular physics.  Our department annually hosts the International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, and the Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy is edited here.  Our research program in atomic and molecular physics goes beyond the traditional spectroscopic determinations of atomic and molecular properties. In addition, the program encompasses atom cooling and trapping, laser physics, investigation of planetary atmospheres and the interstellar medium, ultrafast physics and intense field light-matter interactions.

Meet the Faculty:

Pierre Agostini and Louis DiMauro

Frank De Lucia and the Microwave Laboratory

Eric Herbst

Gregory Lafyatis

Richard Freeman and Linn Van Woerkom and the Ultra-Fast Sciences Laboratory

Douglass Schumacher  

Brenda Winnewisser

Manfred Winnewisser 

 

    The department enjoys collaborations with strong spectroscopy groups at the Laser Spectroscopy Facility in the chemistry department located next to the physics building.  Funding is from the NSF and other federal and industrial sources.  We are currently conducting research in the following areas:

• Quantum electronics working with millimeter and submillimeter waves; laboratory astrophysics and upper atmosphere physics; molecular collisions and chemical physics.
• Using laser light to manipulate the translational degrees of freedom of atoms; atomic samples at ultracold (less than 1 millikelvin) temperatures may be obtained.
• High-precision spectroscopy of small molecules.
• Stark spectroscopy of two-electron atoms and its connection to classical dynamics.
• The formation of molecules in space and molecule-molecule reactive scattering in the gas phase.
• Multiphoton ionization of atoms and molecules.
• Ultrashort pulse, high intensity laser atom interactions.
• Coherent control of atomic systems.
• Propagation of intense laser pulses through solids, liquids and gasses.  This involves super continuum generation, intensity dependent group velocity dispersion, plasma generation and other effects.
• Ultrafast photophysics of large molecular structures: such as organic polymers and photosynthetic systems.

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Please direct any website related questions to Beth Deinlein

Last Modified 10/1/07