Robert Compton Ziegler Professor Physical Chemistry Negative ion chemistry; fullerenes; chirality B.S., Berea College (1960) M.S., University of Florida (1963) Ph.D., University of Tennessee (1965) APS Fellow OSA Fellow
E-mail: compton@ion.chem.utk.edu 317 Buehler Hall   ·   Telephone: 865-974-1069 Representative publications   ·   Biographical sketch   ·   Group Web page

Research

Our group has pioneered studies of multiphoton ionization spectroscopy in the gas phase. Multiphoton ionization of supersonic molecular beams of atoms, molecules, and clusters allows us to perform simultaneous ion mass analysis, photoelectron spectroscopy of the intermediate states and kinetic energy analysis of the dissociative ionization products. An area of current interest involves the use of dye lasers in the study of elementary chemical reactions, particularly those involving electron transfer. Collaborative studies with groups at UT (Adcock, Tuinman, Guiochon) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Hettich, Sachleben, Wignall) are devoted to the production and characterization of nanoclusters. These new clusters provide the framework for tests of elementary concepts in physics and chemistry.

Representative publications

Electron attachment to a negative ion: e + C₈₄ = C₈₄^-. R.N. Compton, A.A. Tuinman, C.E. Klots, M.R. Pederson, and D.C. Patton, Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 4367 (1997).

Enrichment and characterization of a noble gas fullerene: Ar@C₆₀. B.A. DiCamillo, R.L. Hettich, G. Guiochon, R.N. Compton, M. Saunders, H.A. Jimenez-Vazquez, A. Khong, and J.R. Cross, J. Phys. Chem. 100, 9197 (1996).

Structures of gas phase (C₆₀)_n(CN)_m trianions from reactions of C₆₀ with NaCN in solution. A.A. Tuinman and R.N. Compton, J. Phys. Chem. 102, 9791 (1998).

Infrared absorption spectroscopy using a free-electron laser. Z.C. Ying, A.S. Lahamer, O. Yavas, R.F. Haglund, Jr., and R.N. Compton, Chem. Phys. Lett. 282, 268 (1998).

Endohedral metallofullerenes. A. Lahamer, Z.C. Ying, R.E. Haufler, R.L. Hettich, and R.N. Compton, Advances in Metal and Semiconductor Clusters 4, 179 (1998).

Biographical sketch

Dr. Compton earned a B.A. in physics from Berea College in 1960, an M.S. in physics from the University of Florida in 1963, and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Tennessee in 1965. He worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for several years before joining the faculty of the University of Tennesee full-time.