Prof. Dr. Poul Petersen

Prof Petersen's research group develops and utilises novel infrared (IR) spectroscopies to directly study ultrafast dynamics on surfaces and in the bulk. Spectroscopy in the mid-infrared range directly investigates the vibrations of the chemical bonds that make up molecules and offers a direct and local investigation of molecular structure and nuclear motion. Non-linear spectroscopy involves processes in which the sample interacts with light in multiple ways (defining the sequence), resulting in the emission of a signal photon. This includes time-resolved methods that use multiple laser pulses with ultrafast or femtosecond duration (10e-15 s or fs) to study molecular processes and chemical reactions on the natural time scale of molecular motion. Nonlinear infrared spectroscopy is technology-driven, with breakthroughs achieved through method development.