Dear All, 

We would like to draw your attention to the following PhD position at UCL.

Observation and control of ultrafast surface photochemistry

A PhD studentship is available in the Department of Chemistry at University
College London from 1st October 2007. The studentship is open to UK and EU
students and is funded by the EPSRC (UK Engineering and Physics Sciences
Research Council). The project will be jointly supervised by Dr Wendy Brown
and Professor Helen Fielding. In order to be eligible for this project
students should have, or expect to have, a degree in Chemistry or a related
subject with at least an upper second class grade.

Project description

The ultimate goal of any branch of chemistry, including surface chemistry,
is to understand reactions at a fundamental level. In order to achieve this,
it is necessary both to observe the reaction on an atomic length scale, and
also to monitor the reaction on the same time scale as bond breaking and
making - the femtosecond timescale. This project aims to establish the
foundations for understanding the detailed dynamics of surface processes, by
using state-of-the-art femtosecond pump-probe techniques to monitor
reactions in real time. It will also investigate the possibility, long
discussed theoretically but not yet achieved experimentally, of using shaped
femtosecond laser pulses to control surface photochemistry. A combination of
femtosecond two-pulse correlation spectroscopy (2PC) and time-resolved
photoelectron spectroscopy (TRPES) will be employed to investigation surface
reactions on an ultra-fast timescale. State-of-the-art femtosecond laser
pulse-shaping techniques will be employed to control the surface
photochemistry. This project involves instrument development and the student
undertaking this research will be expected to develop skills in both
ultrafast laser techniques and surface science. Specifically, the PhD
student will build an apparatus for shaping femtosecond light (based on
existing designs) and will take the lead in the coherent control
experiments. 
Prospective applicants may make informal contact by email or telephone: 


Dr Wendy Brown						Professor Helen
Fielding
Department of Chemistry					Department of
Chemistry
University College London				University College
London
20 Gordon Street						20 Gordon
Street
London WC1H 0AJ, UK					London WC1H 0AJ, UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7679 4688				Tel: +44 (0)20 7679
5575
Email: [log in to unmask]				Email:
[log in to unmask]
www.chem.ucl.ac.uk/people/brown
www.chem.ucl.ac.uk/people/fielding

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