Congratulations to Professor Baxter for being awarded an NSF-MRI grant for his project entitled "MRI: Acquisition of an Ultrafast Laser System for Terahertz Spectroscopy and Sub-Picosecond Dynamics". The project will run for 2 years, with funding totaling $332,291.00.

Funds will be used to acquire terahertz spectroscopy and transient absorption spectroscopy systems centered around an amplified ultrafast Ti:sapphire laser that emits 100-femtosecond light pulses with wavelengths continuously tunable from ultraviolet to far-infrared. Terahertz radiation bridges the gap between electronics and infrared optics and is an excellent probe for phenomena such as electron transport in semiconductors, vibrations in proteins and DNA, and rotations in gas phase molecules. The rapidly growing field of terahertz science is critical to diverse applications in alternative energy, high-speed electronics, pharmaceuticals, medical diagnostics, and homeland security. This ultrafast spectroscopy system will be housed in Drexel's Centralized Research Facility and will be the first bench-scale terahertz user facility in the nation.