Spectroscopy of Cold Trapped Ions – Fundamentals and Chemical Applications
Christopher J. Johnson, Stony Brook University
In the last 10 years, advances in ion sources for mass spectrometry, laser spectroscopy of gaseous ions, and temperature controlled ion traps have been combined to make it possible to record electronic and vibrational spectra of essentially any chemical system that can be analyzed by mass spectrometry. This has led to fundamental advances in cluster chemistry and spectroscopy as well as applications in catalytic mechanisms, biomolecular structure and solvation, and atmospheric chemistry, to name a few. I will discuss the development of these spectroscopic methods and the current state-of-the-art. Examples of the application of this technology to address questions in vibrational spectroscopy of systems with large-amplitude motion and the mechanism of atmospheric new particle formation will be presented. Finally, I will give a look ahead at planned advances in speed, sensitivity, and complexity of systems amenable for study using these techniques.
