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Molecular Shape Detection for Chemical Analysis

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Army
Contract: W911NF-07-C-0091
Agency Tracking Number: A074-012-0120
Amount: $100,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: A07-T012
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2007
Award Year: 2007
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2007-08-07
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2008-02-03
Small Business Information
3 Davol Square Suite A301
Providence, RI 02903
United States
DUNS: 801937298
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 J. Geiser
 Senior Research Scientist
 (401) 863-3767
 peter_weber@brown.edu
Business Contact
 Peter Weber
Title: Prof.
Phone: (401) 863-3767
Email: peter_weber@brown.edu
Research Institution
 BROWN UNIV.
 Norman J Hebert
 
Department of Chemistry 324 Brook Street
Providence, RI 2912
United States

 (401) 863-2777
 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

Mass spectrometry is a technology with wide-ranging applications in defense and homeland security. The technique is widely applicable and exceedingly sensitive, but for many molecules there can be ambiguities regarding the isomeric and conformeric form. As the number of atoms in a molecule increases, the number of stable isomers raises dramatically. Recent research has shown that the binding energies of electrons in molecular Rydberg states are highly sensitive to the molecular shape, giving rise to a method to characterize molecular shapes using Rydberg states. In this project, the aim is to combine this Rydberg fingerprint spectroscopy with mass spectrometry, by measuring the Rydberg fingerprints of molecular ions, such as those in a mass spectrometer, using a newly developed detector. The two-dimensional output, with mass as one coordinate and the Rydberg fingerprint as the other, will find many uses in the identification of chemical and biological agents, explosives, environmental analysis, and industrial chemicals.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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