A researcher at the California Institute of Technology, supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, won the 1999 Nobel Prize in chemistry. The list now contains 36 names, which includes Nobel Prize winners in chemistry, physics and medicine. The announcement was made Oct. 12 by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Zewail was recognized for his pioneering efforts using ultra-short laser flashes to monitor chemical reactions.
Femtochemistry enables scientists to understand how and why certain chemical reactions take place.
By probing chemical reactions at their most fundamental level, Zewail has provided insights that have helped scientists understand how certain molecules are synthesized, how energy is released in reactions and how the outcome of chemical reactions might be controlled. Zewail's research will have far-reaching applications. Scientists throughout the world are using his research to probe nature at a fundamental level. Among the applications are determining how molecular electronic components must be designed, understanding the most delicate mechanisms in life processes and guiding how the medicines of the future should be produced. Air Force applications focus on understanding and controlling the release of energy in chemical reactions in systems such as novel rocket propellants, chemical lasers, and the interactions of aerospace vehicles with their environments.