The main objectives of our research are the study of molecular structures and quadrupolar coupling parameters. These are obtained through a thorough investigation of each molecule's microwave spectrum. A flowchart describing a typical research project is shown here . The major difference between microwaves and visible light is that microwaves have much lower frequencies, and hence lower energies.
Microwaves have just enough energy to make molecules spin and rotate like a top.
In your microwave oven you are using microwave radiation to spin around water molecules, because of friction this action heats up your food. In our lab we use a spectrometer that can tune in many frequencies in the microwave region. Then we put a sample molecule in the chamber and begin looking for the microwave frequencies that cause it to rotate. If the molecule is rigid like a wooden top that you might play with, then the frequencies at which it spins depend only on the placement of masses within the molecule. By solving the equations which govern rotational motion we can deduce the structure of the molecule from the information contained in the spectrum.