The following research fields constitute the spectrum of the Molecular Science and Technology (MST) graduate program:
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Chemical dynamics and molecular spectroscopy: This topic currently focuses on studies of structures and dynamics of molecules, ions, radicals, and transient species, and covers mechanisms involved in photodissociation , reactive scattering, energy transfer, and elementary reactions in atmospheric and combustion chemistry with cutting edge tools such as laser spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Research subjects also cover reaction and solvation dynamics, relaxation, diffusion, and phase transformation in liquids, solids, surfaces, and interfaces using FT-IR, Raman, fluorescence, UV-VIS, NMR, and single-molecule spectroscopic approaches.
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Functional materials: This subject focuses on syntheses and characterization of novel functional materials, such as microporous zeolites and mesoporous aluminosilicates, porous carbons, carbon nanotubes, organic optoelectronic materials, inorganic membranes and films, organic-inorganic hybrid materials, metal-incorporated materials, and colloidal crystals. Interdisciplinary efforts in utilizing these novel materials for nano-scaled sensing, adsorptive, catalytic, and energy-related (e.g., solar and fuel cells, and fuel storage) applications promise prominent prospect.
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Biomolecular structures and dynamics: This subject presently covers (1) spectroscopic and spectrometric characterization of biomolecules, clusters, and biopolymers, biological energy conversion, (2) biolabeling and biosynthesis assisted by nano-structured materials, (3) development of novel analytical biotechnologies for facilitating the study of molecular structures of DNA, proteins, and nucleic acids etc., (4) dynamics of protein folding and ligand binding in hemoglobin and myoglobin, and of electron transfer in metalloproteins and photosynthetic systems. and (5) Refolding dynamics of virus envelope proteins by fluorescent and spin labeling; molecular recognition of cellular receptor by viral fusion protein.
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Ultrafast laser technology and high-field physics: This area currently focuses on the development and application of high-intensity ultrafast laser technology, such as 100-terawatt-class femtosecond lasers, waveform synthesis, laser wakefield electron accelerators, soft x-ray lasers, plasma nonlinear optics, transient plasma photonic devices, high-harmonic generation, proton acceleration, keV coherent x-ray sources, and femtosecond gamma-ray sources.
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Light-matter interactions and optical controlling: This area focuses on comb laser applications, laser cooling of atom, Bose-Einstein condensation, molecule cooling and trapping, quantum control of atomic states and molecular dynamics, frequency-stabilized lasers, laser spectroscopy of atoms, nonlinear optics, quantum optics and high precision optical measurements.
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Molecular electronics: This area focuses on designing and fabrication of electronic/optoelectronic and electroluminescent/photovoltaic devices, and field effect transistors based on thin films, spintronics, monolayers, and single molecules. In addition, novel lithographic techniques have been developed to create electronic and/or molecular devices based on semiconductors, high-temperature superconductors, magnetic superlattices, and heterostructural materials, etc. The optical, electrical, and magnetic properties of these exotic materials are also explored.
- Theoretical and computational chemistry: This area focuses on development and application of theoretical methods, such as ab initio calculation of electronic and molecular structures, quantum dynamical calculations of atomic scattering and chemical reactions, and molecular dynamics simulations of biological systems in gas/liquid phase, protein folding, etc.
