Elizabeth Raymond
Department: Chemistry
Research Areas: Surfaces and Interfaces, Laser Spectroscopy,
Environmental Chemistry
Education
B.A. Chemistry/Physics, Whitman College (1997)
Ph.D. Physics, University of Oregon (2003)
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California Los Angeles
(2003-2006)
Research Interests :
Research in my group focuses on investigating molecules at interfaces,
in particular, interfaces of atmospheric or environmental importance. We
are currently exploring the series of nitrogen oxides (NOx compounds, a
primary component of photochemical smog) at the vapor/water interface.
Aerosol particles in the troposphere have a significant number of their
molecules at the particle surface, where they not only participate in
chemical reactions but also play a role in the growth and adsorption
properties of the aerosols. To investigate molecular concentrations,
orientations, and inter-molecular interactions at a vapor/water
interface, my research group uses surface tension measurements in conjunction with
the highly surface selective technique, second harmonic generation
(SHG). Using a tunable, pulsed laser system, we are able to obtain SHG spectra
(somewhat analogous to a UV-Vis spectrum) of only those molecules within
the interfacial region, typically the top few molecular layers. By
comparing the surface properties to UV-Vis spectra of bulk solutions, we
are able to explore the differences between the bulk and surface
environments, thereby gaining insight into the chemistry of aerosol
particles in the troposphere. While we are currently using SHG to study
liquid surfaces, the technique possesses the versatility to investigate
many types of interfaces, including those between solids, as well as
between a solid and a liquid.
