Research Projects

Hydrocarbons play a crucial role in various natural processes, including emission/absorption bands in interstellar mediums and complex biological mechanisms. Understanding the molecular dynamics of hydrocarbons can provide insights into many important phenomena in nature. The proposal aims to study the molecular dynamics of hydrocarbons and their derivatives by tracking and controlling ionization/fragmentation upon femtosecond laser excitation and ionization. The underlying physics responsible for "suppressed ionization" or "enhanced ionization" is a topic of research, as the dynamics involved in these processes are not fully understood. A systematic study on hydrocarbons with odd-even carbon atoms or carbon-carbon bond type and their effect on ionization/fragmentation patterns under different configurations of femtosecond laser pulse parameters is lacking. Factors such as molecular symmetry, dipole moment, bonding or antibonding valence orbital configuration are expected to influence the photo-excitation and resultant dynamics. Experimental studies will be performed to understand the molecular dynamics of various hydrocarbons and their derivatives due to different excitation regimes by varying femtosecond laser parameters and probing the ensuing ionization/fragmentation by detection of resultant products by the Cold Target Recoil Ion Momentum Spectrometer. The research outcome is expected to enhance our knowledge about the dynamics of hydrocarbons, which are crucial molecular species involved in many fundamental processes in nature. The techniques developed and the knowledge gained from the project will be utilized in future studies of other molecules of interest.