Back to Table of Contents

42315-AC6
Probing the Energy Landscapes of Large Molecules: An MODR Experiment

David W. Pratt, University of Pittsburgh

As discussed in last year's report, PRF funds have been used to support exploratory research devoted to establishing the chirped pulse microwave technique as the method of choice for measuring the rotationally resolved spectra of large molecules relevant in biology. Towards this end, the Pratt group in Pittsburgh has designed and built a new laser ablation system for getting such molecules into the gas phase, and is working with the Pate group in Virginia to design, build, and test a new "narrowband" microwave spectrometer that will be used to test the feasibilty of the research plan. Five members of the Pratt group spent a week at UVa in late May to participate in the early stages of this project. At the moment, the new instrument is undergoing final testing and will be shipped to Pittsburgh in early October.

We anticipate starting our own projects on this machine shortly thereafter.

A key objective in the next few weeks will be to demonstrate that our low resolution laser can be used in conjunction with the ablation system and new microwave machine to record the rotationally resolved spectra of individual conformations of a large biomolecule.

Back to top