The AMOC group consists of five faculty members:

Chad Fertig (PhD, Yale University, 2002; experiment),
Tim Heil (PhD, University of Illinois, 1977; theory),
Henning Meyer (PhD, Universität Göttingen, 1985; Habilitation, Universität Bern, 1995; experiment),
Phillip Stancil (PhD, Old Dominion University, 1994; theory); and
Susanne Ullrich (PhD, The University of York, 2002; experiment);

one research scientist:

Libo Zhao (supervisor: Prof. Stancil);

one postdoctoral fellow:

Benhui Yang (Supervisor: Prof. Stancil);

nine graduate students:

Wesam El-Qadi (Supervisor: Prof. Fertig),
Nick Evans (Supervisor: Prof. Ullrich),
Chris Gay (Supervisor: Prof. Stancil),
Chih-Yuan Lin (Supervisor: Prof. Stancil),
Shinya Miyake (Supervisor: Prof. Stancil),
Jeff Nolte (Supervisor: Prof. Stancil),
Billy Potter (Supervisor: Prof. Ullrich),
Vijay Veeraghattam (Supervisors: Profs. Lewis and Stancil), and
Bo "Linus" Wen (Supervisor: Prof. Meyer);

and three emeriti faculty:

M. M. Duncan,
Alan Edwards, and
Robert Wood.

Some specific areas of research are:

Bose-Einstein Condensation (Fertig)
Ultra-cold atoms are used to study fundamental atomic and condensed matter physics. By using atom cooling and trapping techniques to create and manipulate atomic Bose-Einstein Condensates (BECs), one can study new realizations of important condensed matter systems. For example, by confining a BEC to the egg crate potential of a 3D optical lattice (formed by 6 intersecting laser beams), ordered quantum magnetic systems can be created and probed.

Electron Transfer (Heil, Stancil)
Theoretical studies of ion-atom and ion-molecule collisions are performed in which one or more electrons are transfered from the neutral target to the ionized projectile. The investigations are performed using the fully quantum mechanical, molecular-orbital, close-coupling approach which is a state of the art technique. Working with a number of international quantum chemistry groups, our calculations incorporate their molecular data in an effort to perform completely ab initio computations. Collision systems are chosen which have applications to astrophysics, atmospheric physics, and fusion energy research.

Molecular Beam Laser Spectroscopy (Meyer)
Molecular radicals and clusters relevant to combustion and atmospheric chemistry are studied applying different types of high resolution multiphoton spectroscopy and infrared-ultraviolet double resonance experiments. Laser spectroscopic methods are used to prepare molecules in specific quantum states and to control their alignment and orientation.

Molecular Beam Scattering (Meyer)
Molecular collision processes (inelastic or reactive) are studied at the quantum state resolved level in a counterpropagating molecular beam scattering experiment. In combination with ion time-of-flight analysis, angle and state resolved cross sections and their polarization dependence are measured. The data provide new insights into energy transfer processes and reaction dynamics at the microscopic level.

Molecular Formation and Destruction (Stancil)
Molecules are formed in a surprising variety of astrophysical environments including interstellar clouds, cool stellar atmospheres, supernova ejecta, primordial galaxies, extrasolar giant planets, etc. To improve the modeling of these environments we calculate with quantum-mechanical techniques cross sections for their formation via radiative (spontaneous and stimulated) association and for their destruction by photodissociation. In the latter case, the photons can be provided by the interstellar UV, the intergalactic UV, cosmic background, or stellar radiation fields.

Molecular Photodissociation and Predissociation (Meyer)
Product distributions from the UV photolysis of stable molecules or radicals or from the infrared induced predissociation of clusters are detected through resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization processes. In these experiments, state resolved angular distributions are accessed through ion time-of-flight analysis.

Time-Resolved Spectroscopy (Ullrich)
We use modern fs/ps pump-probe spectroscopies to investigate the photophysical and photochemical properties of biomolecular building blocks.

Astrophysical Applications and Atomic and Molecular Data (Stancil)
The chemical and spectral modeling of astrophysical and atmospheric environments requires an enormous amount of atomic and molecular data for a variety of processes. In addition to computing some of the necessary data, mentioned above, we are also engaged in database efforts. In particular, a database of Charge Transfer reactions, relevant to astrophysical modeling, is being developed in collaboration with ORNL. Molecular line and continuum opacities relevant to cool stars and extrasolar planets are also being computed for the UGA Molecular Opacity Project.

The AMOC group hosts a biweekly seminar series on Atomic, Molecular, Optical, and Chemical Physics. Speakers include local faculty and students as well as visitors.