Berlin 2014 – scientific programme
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A: Fachverband Atomphysik
A 18: Interaction with strong or short laser pulses II
A 18.1: Invited Talk
Tuesday, March 18, 2014, 14:00–14:30, BEBEL E34
Determination of chiral molecules’ handedness — •Markus Schöffler1, Martin Pitzer1, Maksim Kunitski1, Allan S. Johnson1,2, Till Jahnke1, Hendrik Sann1, Felix Sturm1, Lothar Ph. H. Schmidt1, Horst Schmidt-Böcking1, Reinhard Dörner1, Jürgen Stohner3, Julia Kiedrowski4, Michael Reggelin4, Sebastian Marquardt4, Alexander Schiesser4, and Robert Berger4 — 1Institut für Kernphysik, J. W. Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Germany — 2University of Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada — 3Institute of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Zurich, 8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland — 4Clemens-Schöpf Institute, TU Darmstadt, Germany
When reaching a certain level of complexity, molecules can have a chiral structure. This is similar to our hands, which also exist in a right and a left version. As the molecules have the same physical properties (density, melting point etc.) determination of the two species poses major challenges even today to chemists. Many indirect methods have been developed therefore with more or less drawbacks. An intense femtosecond laser pulse was used to remove many electrons (>4) from the molecule, resulting in a Coloumb Explosion of the molecules fragments. The COLTRIMS momentum imaging technology COLTRIMS was employed to measure the momentum vector of each emitted fragment (ion and electron) in coincidence. The show case example of racemic CHBrClF will be presented, the fragmentation dynamics discussed and the chiral distinction illustrated. Furthermore the perspectives on larger molecules will be discussed, as well as the challenges using synchrotron radiation