In this CAREER project supported by the Physical Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Schmuttenmaer will use time-resolved far-infrared spectroscopy with sub-picosecond resolution to study condensed phase dynamics. This technique will be used to examine the dynamics of electron solvation in liquids, the dynamics of photoconductivity in organic molecular crystals, and the dynamics of energy dissipation in liquids. The educational component involves innovation in undergraduate teaching, including the use of discovery-based education, written assignments, case studies, and the involvement of undergraduates in this research program. In the recent past, time-resolved laser studies with sub-picosecond temporal resolution in the ultraviolet and infrared spectral regions have helped contribute to increased understanding of many in chemistry, physics, biology, optics, and electronics. The technological advances in this work will allow similar studies to be carried out in the far-infrared spectral region, a fertile and as yet untapped area where much new knowledge remains to be discovered.
