They propose a study of the optical properties of actinide doped inorganic glasses. In particular, they will focus their attention on the dynamics of optical excitation and fluorescence in these little studied systems. Though the actinides are similar in their optical properties to the lanthanides, which have been widely used in optical devices, there have been few studies of the optical properties of actinide ions in glasses. Their initial task will be to carry out experiments to characterize the optical excitation and emission spectra of promising actinide ions, using the spectra of ions in crystalline hosts as a starting point. Interpretation of such spectra are much clearer if experiments are carried out at low temperatures, so an optical system capable of absorption and time resolved fluorescence mearsurements will be assembled. Some of the key components of this system are already in place at Macalester, the rest will be developed in the first year of the project.
