The objective of this project is to acquaint undergraduate chemistry students with the operation and application of lasers in physical and analytical chemistry. Because of their unique properties, lasers have taken a major role in the instrumentation used for chemical research. Therefore, it is important that potential chemists become familiar with this component so that they will be better prepared to begin their professional careers. An easy-to-use, cost-effective tunable dye laser system with a signal measurement system will be used in an advanced laboratory course and in student research as the basis of a number of experiments designed to highlight the versatility of this light source. The availability of the laser will expand the usefulness of several other instruments already in the department. The experiments done with the laser system will be published in the appropriate areas in order to encourage more extensive use of this instrument at undergraduate institutions, and to help meet a national need for published experiments with lasers. The final result will be better education in the field of chemical instrumentation.
