This award from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities Program will assist faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Nebraska to upgrade a Synchrotron Radiation Beamline for use in surface chemistry research. The upgraded beamline will be used to study the electronic band structure as a function of wave vector in molecular crystals and ordered overlayers. Photoemission studies of the molecular orbitals will be used to ascertain bond mechanisms and molecular orientation. Research will be conducted in three primary areas: 1) the study of band structures of adsorbate overlayers and molecular crystals; 2) molecular orientation determined by angle resolved photoemission; and 3) the chemistry of oxide surfaces.
Crystalline arrays of large molecules are used to form one dimensional conductors, organic semiconductors, nonlinear optical materials, ferroelectric and photorefractive materials. Molecular crystals and polymers are widely used in high density optical storage devices and high speed optical fiber communications systems. Photorefractive holographic data storage is based on the electro-optical properties of nonlinear optical molecules incorporated into photoconductive polymers. An understanding of the electronic structure of these materials is crucial to their performance. Studies initiated with this upgraded photoemission resource will enhance the ability of these investigators to study such materials.
