School of Chemistry

Michael Nix

Lecturer
Research section: Physical Chemistry

Contact details

Keywords

Laser photochemistry
Femtosecond spectroscopy
Electronic and vibrational dynamics
Biomolecular systems in solution
Non-adibatic dynamics and conical intersections

Research interests

My research focuses on ultrafast processes in photochemistry, especially the interplay between electronic states and vibrational motion. I aim to be able to study vibrational and electronic states in a time resolved manner, to watch the flow of energy within a molecule following photoexcitation. To do this requires femtosecond lasers and coherent four wave mixing schemes. I aim to perform CARS (Coherent anti-Stokes Raman) and degenerate four-wave mixing in a simplified setup using an ultrafast pulse shaper to obtain the necessary pulses. In this way it should be possible to study vibrational dynamics in excited states directly. Many biochemically important photochemical events occur on a sub-picosecond timescale and I intend to probe such systems with these techniques.

I am always interested to hear from prospective masters or Ph.D students with an interest in my work and a background in physical chemistry, physics, chemistry or a related discipline.

Selected publications

Intramolecular Amide Stacking and Its Competition with Hydrogen Bonding in a Small Foldamer. James WH, Muller CW, Buchanan EG, Nix MGD, Guo L, Roskop L, Gordon MS, Slipchenko LV, Gellman SH, Zwier TS J AM CHEM SOC 131(40) 14 Oct 2009

Exploring nuclear motion through conical intersections in the UV photodissociation of phenols and thiophenol. Ashfold MNR, Devine AL, Dixon RN, King GA, Nix MGD, Oliver TAA P NATL ACAD SCI USA 105(35) 02 Sep 2008

Ultraviolet photolysis of adenine: Dissociation via the pi-sigma(*) state. Nix MGD, Devine AL, Cronin B, Ashfold MNR J CHEM PHYS 126(12) Art. No. 124312 28 Mar 2007

The role of pi-sigma* excited states in the photodissociation of heteroaromatic molecules. Ashfold MNR, Cronin B, Devine AL, Dixon RN, Nix MGD SCIENCE 312(5780) 16 Jun 2006