Research

The research in the group of Frédéric Merkt is devoted to studies of the electronic structure and dynamics of atoms and molecules in the gas phase by high-resolution spectroscopy. The driving force of the research program is the desire to study and understand in detail the behaviour of electronically excited states of atoms and molecules and the processes that result from the interaction of molecules with short-wavelength radiation. Topics of particular interest are: (i) molecular photoionization and photoelectron spectroscopy, (ii) atomic and molecular Rydberg states, (iii) the structure and dynamics of reactive species such as free radicals and cations, (iv) the Jahn-Teller effect and rovibronic interactions, (v) the physical chemistry of atomic and molecular samples at very low temperatures, and (vi) atom and molecule optics.