In this award, funded by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Prof. John T. Fourkas of the University of Maryland, College Park, and his undergraduate and graduate research students will study liquids with Optical Kerr Effect (OKE) spectroscopy. The research program will develop new modalities of OKE spectroscopy, and will work on developing OKE methods for microscopy applications. The hope is that OKE will provide a robust method for contrast enhancement in microscopy. In addition, Prof. Fourkas and his research students will continue their fundamental studies of molecular-level liquid structure, as probed by OKE spectroscopy. One unique aspect of this latter effort is the attempt to probe the microscopic structure of liquids under extreme tension and in extremely confined environments. The results from Prof. Fourkas' research are expected to be of broad technological and scientific interest in fields as diverse as industrial separations, oil recovery, cavitation, and water transport in plants. The developments in microscopy may have an impact the biological sciences.
Besides the broader scientific and technological impacts of the research being supported, Prof. Fourkas will continue to train the next generation of young scientists, and will continue in his successful efforts to bring the results of his research to a wider general audience.
