The focus of our research is to understand the quantum mechanical nature of molecular interactions, and to use this knowledge to control the outcome of chemical reactions.
Emphasis is placed on relating spectroscopy and dynamics.
This research program inspires, and is energized by teaching a variety of courses in physical chemistry, quantum mechanics, spectroscopy, and reaction dynamics, as well as group seminars. We employ the principle of quantum mechanical interference to control the rates and branching ratios of chemical reactions. These two paths interfere with eachother, and by varying the relative phases of the two light sources we can produce constructive or destructive interference between them. The phase lag between different product channels is a new observable that provides new information about the continuum properties of a molecule. Very recently we used phase lag spectroscopy to measure the phase of an eigenfunction.