In professor Hüwel's lab, experiments probe light-matter interaction along two lines of inquiry: photophysics of small molecules and laser-produced plasmas from gaseous and liquid targets. In the first project, nanosecond pulsed lasers together with a molecular beam machine and a so-called time-of-flight mass spectrometer allow quantum-state specific investigations of the properties and behavior of single molecules. Of particular interest are highly energized quantum states and processes near the energetic threshold for dissociative ionization. In addition to the laser system, the laser plasma project utilizes high resolution spectrometers and fast, nanosecond gated cameras. Rapid delivery of energy into a small volume by a tightly focused laser pulse leads to the quasi-instantaneous breakdown of transparent gases or liquids into opaque, extremely hot, light emitting plasmas. Development and tests of spectroscopic plasma diagnostic methods for a wide range of electron densities and temperatures is one important goal of these experiments. Another focus is the characterization of dynamic aspects such as plasma expansion patterns and the formation process of bubbles and droplets when laser plasmas are produced near a liquid-air interface.

Ph.D. from the University of Göttingen, Germany

Post-doctoral appointment at JILA in Boulder, Colorado