Studies in
Overview
The group "Molecular Kinetics and Spectroscopy" of Martin Quack at ETH has as main research theme the understanding of fundamental physical-chemical molecular primary processes. The basic research question concerns the fully quantum mechanical molecular motion, which is at the origin of all chemical reactions. An essential aspect of the research is the systematic combination of experimental and theoretical studies. The experimental studies concentrate on high resolution infrared spectroscopy, infrared multiphoton excitation and time resolved kinetic spectroscopy. While most of the experiments address fundamental questions, some practical applications relate to atmospheric spectroscopy and to isotope separation. The theory covers full-dimensional quantum dynamics by various approaches. Approximate theories are developed and tested in relation to exact theories. Another focus of theory is the time dependent quantum dynamics in intramolecular energy flow and vibrational redistribution, coherent infrared multiphoton excitation and laser chemistry as well as time dependent quantum statistical mechanical approaches to these processes. Finally, the group studies kinetics and quantum dynamics of molecular tunneling processes as well as fundamental symmetry principles in molecular processes and molecular chirality in relation to parity violation. Many aspects of the spectroscopic research can be found in the articles authored by members of the group in the Handbook of High Resolution Spectroscopy edited by M. Quack and F. Merkt (Wiley, Chichester, 2011).
The Quack group continues research with the support of an Advanced Grant from the European Research Council and a grant from the Swiss National Foundation. A particular educational effort of the group in general and Martin Quack in particular concerns the special study branch of Interdisciplinary Sciences ("Studiengang N"), which Martin Quack has taken care between 1992 and 2008 as Advisor "Fachberater" (chairman, now called delegate, "Studiendelegierter"). These studies allow for a broad scientific education covering physics, chemistry, and biology with various possible specialisations but no necessary restriction to any one subfield.The current chairman (Studiendelegierter N) is Prof. Frédéric Merkt, while Martin Quack remained associated with this as a deputy chairman until 2013. Interested students should contact Prof. Frédéric Merkt on these highly recommended studies.
Recent papers on parity violation and chiral molecules click here for pdf. Recent papers on intramolecular quantum dynamics click here for pdf. Leopoldina Fundamental Symmetries click here for pdf. Department Evaluation 2019 click here for pdf. Conferences click here for pdf. Good practice click here for pdf. New Book on Molecular Spectroscopy and Quantum Dynamics 2020 click here for pdf.
Latest news
Postdoc positions available click here for details.
Group photo
Group seminar in Beatenberg
