Molecular Physics Laboratory

SRI's Molecular Physics Laboratory provides government and commercial clients with fundamental and applied research in areas involving laser sensors and diagnostics, mass spectroscopy, and atmospheric processes. The laboratory operates a Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program, providing undergraduate students with summer research opportunities. Our team's experience includes:

• Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: Aeronomy, chemical kinetics, modeling, high temperature air chemistry

• Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics: Small molecular spectroscopy, collisional energy transfer, laser scattering, medical diagnostics

• Combustion: Flame diagnostic methods, optical sensor, combustion chemistry models, flame emission in microgravity

• Mass Spectroscopy: Single-particle composition, metal impurities in silicon, surface analysis, combinatorial chemistry

• Trace species monitoring: Jet-REMPI continuous emission monitor, speciated Hg, toxic metals, dioxin detection

Innovative Technologies

• Jet-REMPI: A combination of three technologies, supersonic nozzles, resonant laser ionization, and time of flight mass spectrometry to provide unparalleled sensitivity and selectivity

• Molecular Upconverters: Molecular-sized (not particle-sized) reporters based on rare-earth ion chelates that produce visible light when illuminated by infrared lasers

• Gas Chromatography/Field Ionization Mass Spectroscopy (GC-FIMS): A combination of gas chromatography with a very soft, nonfragmenting ionization technology for a mass spectrometer, allowing rapid identification of complex mixtures of hydrocarbons including crude oils or fuels

Facilities

• Jet-REMPI Apparatus: Capable of sub-part-per-billion detection of hazardous air pollutants, plan to start a fieldable version in early 2000.

• Low Pressure Burners: Premixed burners that support hydrocarbon/air flames to 30 Torr. Used for highly spatially resolved laser measurements of flame intermediates to test flame chemistry.

• Single Particle Mass Spectrometer: A unique device for measuring the chemical composition of single particles in the atmosphere. Has flown on NASA's DC-8 in tropospheric missions and been used on the ground.

• Optical Combs: A multiplexing technology providing thousands of waveforms in a small bandwidth. Useful for encrypting messages.

• Laser-Secondary Neutral Mass Spectroscopy: A variant of SALI for detecting small amounts of metal impurities (<10⁹/cm³) on Si wafers, with higher potential sensitivity for meeting industry needs in years.

Learn More About the Molecular Physics Laboratory

• Molecular Physics Laboratory Staff

Contact Us:
For more information about SRI's Molecular Physics Laboratory, how to work with our team and put our innovations to work, contact
Richard A. Copeland
650-859-6534
richard.copeland@sri.com