F. Fleming Crim

With the assistance of my graduate students and postdoctoral associates, I have explored chemical reactions in both gases and liquid, with the goal of understanding the motions and configurations of molecules during chemical transformation. We have placed particular emphasis on vibrations and how they determine the rate and pathway of a reaction. Using lasers, we have been able to monitor the flow of energy within or between molecules, as well as determine the final quantum states of the products. Ultrafast lasers have allowed us to extend this same process from gases into liquids, where the interactions with the solvent influence the flow of energy and the reactions and, in favorable cases, control the outcome of a reaction using laser excitation of selected vibrations.