This proposal develops single and double-resonance laser- induced grating spectroscopy (LIGS) for the study of the structure and decay dynamics of the excited states of simple molecules. The focus of the work will be to study the efficacy and the range of applicability of the technique; to make quantitative interpretations of observed transition intensities in the context of nonlinear optical physics; and to apply that knowledge to novel studies of small molecules and ions. As part of the career program, this work contains a special outreach to enhance the involvement of women and nontraditional students in this joint research/educational activity.
