Currently Funded Projects:

- Laser photofragmentation of small clusters

- Extreme Dynamics

Understanding ultrafast molecular dynamics that govern the evolution of excited systems allows modeling, predicting
and in some cases controlling the outcome of chemical reactions. Using femtosecond (fs) laser pulses to initiate and
probe dynamics, we provide insight into the important quantum mechanical mechanisms that control molecular dynamics.
However, range of excited dynamics that can be addressed is limited by the wavelengths of readily available laser systems.
Specifically, superexcited states, which are states that lie above the threshold for electron emission, can not be initiated
directly from neutral molecular ground states with conventional laser systems. Such superexcited states exhibit extremely
non Born-Oppenheimer dynamics, as electron and nuclear motion dynamics compete on ultrafast timescales, often leading to
fragmentation rather than electron emission. Therefore, I propose to extend the range of investigated ultrafast phenomena to
include superexcited state dynamics. Such states will be accessible with conventional fs lasers, not from neutral ground state
molecules but from fast beams of negative ions or metastable neutral species that are energetically close to superexcited
states. Furthermore, fast beam fragment imaging techniques will be used to record time resolved kinetic energies and
correlations of fragmentation products. Specific objectives of this proposal are (i) to investigate time resolved dynamics of
superexcited negatively charged water clusters; (ii) to investigate fragmentation dynamics of superexcited H3* states.

- Time resolved molecular reaction dynamics with fast beam techniques

- Ultrafast EUV probe project (HHG based single photon CEI)

- Intense interactions with anions