Volume 217, 2019

Introductory lecture: advances in ion spectroscopy: from astrophysics to biology

Abstract

This introduction provides a historical context for the development of ion spectroscopy over the past half century by following the evolution of experimental methods to the present state-of-the-art. Rather than attempt a comprehensive review, we focus on how early work on small ions, carried out with fluorescence, direct absorption, and photoelectron spectroscopy, evolved into powerful technologies that can now address complex chemical problems ranging from catalysis to biophysics. One of these developments is the incorporation of cooling and temperature control to enable the general application of “messenger tagging” vibrational spectroscopy, first carried out using ionized supersonic jets and then with buffer gas cooling in radiofrequency ion traps. Some key advances in the application of time-resolved pump–probe techniques to follow ultrafast dynamics are also discussed, as are significant benchmarks in the refinement of ion mobility to allow spectroscopic investigation of large biopolymers with well-defined shapes. We close with a few remarks on challenges and opportunities to explore molecular level mechanics that drive macroscopic behavior.

Graphical abstract: Introductory lecture: advances in ion spectroscopy: from astrophysics to biology

Associated articles

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
04 अप्रैल 2019
Accepted
02 मई 2019
First published
02 मई 2019

Faraday Discuss., 2019,217, 8-33

Author version available

Introductory lecture: advances in ion spectroscopy: from astrophysics to biology

H. J. Zeng, N. Yang and M. A. Johnson, Faraday Discuss., 2019, 217, 8 DOI: 10.1039/C9FD00030E

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements