The university is purchasing a laser setup and computerized detector system to allow the introduction of representative examples of modern laser spectroscopy into the undergraduate program. Components that accommodate a wide range of projects have been selected and help demonstrate concepts that are unique to laser spectroscopy. These experiments use a pulsed nitrogen-tunable dye laser module to generate excited state molecules. A computer-interfaced oscilloscope and photomultiplier monitor the decay in emission following a laser pulse. In other experiments, a laboratory computer controls either the laser frequency or an emission monochromator and processes signals from a gated detector to obtain excitation, fluorescence emission, or Raman spectra. Students use a visual programming language (Labview) to design software for computer control and integration of the modular components, data acquisition, and signal processing. These projects have been selected to reinforce quantum mechanical concepts developed in Physical Chemistry II and to provide undergraduate students experience and research opportunities with modern physical chemistry tools.
