Physical chemistry courses lasers

Lasers come next, not because of their intrinsic construction and mode of operation, but because they open up new dimensions of technique, precision, and scale. The experimental technique of physical chemistry that has benefited most from the laser is Raman spectroscopy, which barely existed before their introduction and is now in full flower, showing enormously detailed and interesting information about bulk matter and surfaces. A technique that was essentially invented by the laser is femtochemistry, where we can catch atoms red-handed in the act of reaction. Lasers have brought us right to the heart of reactions, and as such we must build them into our courses. 

By the late 20th century, continued calls for the revision of the physical chemistry curriculum were being heard (2-8). These calls were for a significant modernization of both the lecture and laboratory curriculum involving an inclusion of modem research topics into the lecture and the laboratory, the deletion or movement of selected material into other courses, and a reduction in the writing requirements for the laboratory. More specifically, the need for experiments and discussion relating to the incorporation of laser and computer technology has intensified with the spread of these devices into all the chemistry subdisciplines. The ACS published a selection of modernized experiments in an earlier volume (5). 

Conspicuously missing from the list of electives (and anywhere in our curriculum) is a course on modem experimental physical chemistry and/or lasers in chemistry. We hope to correct this omission with a new hire in the next two years. 

Physical chemistry is an upper-level course at most institutions and is generally only required for a few majors. As such, course enrollment is at least an order of magnitude below that of general chemistry, and sometimes much less. Thus, physical chemistry, and its associated laboratory component, where offered, have a small enough enrollment that it can be hard to justify the cost of specialized instrumentation such as spectrometers, lasers, computer controls, and other such equipment... 

The versatility of OMCDs and, of course, advances in laser technology have been responsible for the increasing numbers of applications of picosecond spectroscopy to problems in areas of physics, chemistry, and biology. 

Yu-San Cheung obtained his B.Sc. (1992) and M.Phil. (1994) degrees from CUHK, and Ph.D. (1999) from Iowa State University. His research interests in his postgraduate studies included computational chemistry and laser spectroscopy, and he has published about 30 papers in international journals. In July 1999 he joined CUHK and he is now a Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry. In this capacity he is in charge of all the undergraduate physical chemistry laboratory courses in the department. 

During the course of the last century, it was realized that many properties of solids are controlled not so much by the chemical composition or the chemical bonds linking the constituent atoms in the crystal but by faults or defects in the structure. Over the course of time the subject has, if anything, increased in importance. Indeed, there is no aspect of the physics and chemistry of solids that is not decisively influenced by the defects that occur in the material under consideration. The whole of the modem silicon-based computer industry is founded upon the introduction of precise amounts of specific impurities into extremely pure crystals. Solid-state lasers function because of the activity of impurity atoms. Battery science, solid oxide fuel cells, hydrogen storage, displays, all rest upon an understanding of defects in the solid matrix. 

ACS prior to 2008. Students are required to take at least one elective course. These electives consist both of advanced courses in core areas, and interdisciplinaiy courses such as materials science, polymers, lasers, nuclear, and environmental chemistry. The department has a tradition of integrating disciplines in specific courses, as exemplified by our required integrated organic/inorganic laboratory (10), several materials science courses (co-taught between the departments of chemistry and physics), and a biophysical course (co-taught by a biochemist and physicist). However, prior to this project, we had not made a concerted effort to weave a broad interdisciplinary topic throughout the curriculum. 

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