C. Michael Lindsay

Postdoctorial Associate, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Education

B.S. in Chemistry/Applied Mathematics, University of Akron, May 1996.

M.S. Physical Chemistry, University of Chicago, June 1997.

Ph.D. Physical Chemistry, University of Chicago, June 2002.
Thesis: "Highly-sensitive and efficient infrared spectroscopy of molecular ions"

Research

Early in '99, I finished automating a Burleigh FCL-20 Color Center Laser,, capable of producing continuously tunable radiation between 2900 and 4200 cm^-1 at about 5 mW and am now using this spectrometer on a variety of projects. Two years ago, I developed a technique for studying the destruction of H₃⁺ in a positive column discharge which is dominated by ambipolar diffusion. Soon afterwards, I conducted comprehensive, high-sensitivity survey of H₃⁺ over the entire region of this spectrometer in the hottest discharge studied to date. This data as well as all of the previous laboratory data of H₃⁺ was compiled and analyzed for accuracy in frequency and assignment. With this data, 523 energy levels were calculated and used to predict the forbidden rotational transition for H₃⁺ and provides a tool for analyzing ab initio calculations on H₃⁺.

An on going experiment that I have been working on in conjunction with T. Momose from the Kyoto University is the study of ionized parahydrogen crystals. We have found several very sharp transitions (~50 MHz FWHM) induced by ions embedded in the crystal as a result of gamma-ray irradiation. The ions are very stable and remain indefinitely in the crystal, demonstrating the versatility of solid hydrogen as a matrix medium. Late last year while trying to observed ionized parahydrogen crystals embedded with methane we discovered many new transitions in the region of the Q1(0)and Q1(1) transition for H₂ that are apparently induced by the methane in the crystal. We are in the process of performing more experiments to try to understand this very surprising spectrum.

Recently, I discovered a discharge that produces HCNH⁺, HCN⁺, and H₂CN₂⁺ in large abundance, and am now studying these species spectroscopically. These three species are thought to play an important role in molecular cloud chemistry and the determination of their spectroscopic properties may lead to their detection in the interstellar medium. Finally, I am am constructing a new instrument for the Oka group: a plasma supersonic jet expansion. This apparatus will be used along with the color center laser spectrometer to study the rotationally cool spectrum of CH₅⁺.

Publications

C.M. Lindsay, C.F. Neese, and T. Oka, "3 micron spectroscopy of HCNH⁺ in highly excited states" (in preparation).

C.M. Lindsay, C.F. Neese, and T. Oka, "Highly-sensitive and efficient infrared spectroscopy of molecular ions" (in preparation).

C.M. Lindsay, T. Momose, and T. Oka, "Observation of sharp transitions in parahydrogen crytals induced by impurities" (in preparation).

C.M. Lindsay, T. Oka, and T. Momose, "A remeasurement of the 2.4 痠 orthohydrogen induced spectrum in solid parahydrogen"", J. Molec. Spectrosc. 218, 131-133 (2003).

B. J. McCall, A. J. Huneycutt, R. J. Saykally, C. M. Lindsay, T. Oka, M. Fushitani, Y. Miyamoto, and T. Momose, "Stimulated Stokes downconversion in liquid and solid parahydrogen", Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 1350-1352 (2003).

C.M. Lindsay, R.M. Rade, Jr., and T. Oka, "Survey of H₃⁺ transitions between 3000 and 4200 cm^-1", J. Molec. Spectrosc. 210, 51-59 (2001).

C.M. Lindsay and B.J. McCall, "Comprehensive evaluation of H₃⁺ Spectroscopy", J. Molec. Spectrosc. 210, 60-83 (2001).

T. Momose, C.M. Lindsay, Y. Zhang, and T. Oka, "Sharp Spectral Lines Observed in gamma-ray Ionized Parahydrogen Crystals", Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 4795-4798 (2001).

C.M. Lindsay, E.T White, and T. Oka, "Measurement of the H₃⁺ destruction rate due to ambipolar diffusion in an AC positive column discharges", Chem. Phys. Lett. 328, 129-134 (2000).

Conference Presentations

C. M. Lindsay, T. Oka, and T. Momose, "Further studies on sharp transitions induced in solid parahydrogen by methane", 57th Ohio State University International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Columbus, Ohio, June 17-21, 2002. (talk)

C. M. Lindsay, T. Oka, and T. Momose, "Spectroscopy of highly excited HCNH⁺ using infrared heterodyne velocity modulation", 57th Ohio State University International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Columbus, Ohio, June 17-21, 2002. (talk)

C. M Lindsay, C. F. Neese, and T. Oka, "Infrared laser absorption spectroscopy with heterodyne detection", 57th Ohio State University International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Columbus, Ohio, June 17-21, 2002. (talk)

T. Oka, Y. Zhang, C. M. Lindsay, and T. Momose, "Ultrahigh resolution spectroscopy of frozen van der Waals molecules in parahydrogen crystals", 57th Ohio State University International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Columbus, Ohio, June 17-21, 2002. (talk)

C.M. Lindsay, T. Oka, and T. Momose, Observation of new sharp transitions in parahydrogen crystals doped with methane, Fifty-sixth Ohio State University International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Columbus, Ohio, June 11-15, 2001.

C.M. Lindsay and B.J. McCall, Compilation and evaluation of the laboratory spectroscopy of H₃⁺.Fifty-sixth Ohio State University International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Columbus, Ohio, June 11-15, 2001.

C.M. Lindsay and C.F. Neese "Miscellaneous Igor Pro and Excel add-ins for spectroscopic analysis," Fifty-sixth Ohio State University International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Columbus, Ohio, June 11-15, 2001.

C.M. Lindsay, R.M. Rade, Jr., and T. Oka, "Survey of H₃⁺ transitions between 3000 and 4200 cm^-1", Fifty-fifth Ohio State University International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Columbus, Ohio, June 11-16, 2000.

T. Momose, C.M. Lindsay, Y. Zhang, and T. Oka,"High-Resolution IR Spectroscopy of H₂ in Ion Clusters Produced by g-ray Irradiation of Parahydrogen Crystals", Fifty-fifth Ohio State University International Symposium on MolecularSpectroscopy, Columbus, Ohio, June 11-16, 2000.

C.M. Lindsay, R.M. Rade, Jr., and T. Oka, "Survey of H₃⁺ transitions between 3000 and 4200 cm^-1", The Royal Society Discussion Meeting on Astronomy, Physics and Chemistry of H₃⁺, London, February 9-10, 2000. (poster)

C.M Lindsay, E.T. White, and T. Oka, "Measurement of the H₃⁺ destruction rate due to ambipolar diffusion in an AC positive column discharges", The Royal Society Discussion Meeting on Astronomy, Physics and Chemistry of H₃⁺, London, February 9-10, 2000. (poster)

C.M. Lindsay, E.T. White,T. Oka, "Measurement of H₃⁺ Destruction Rates Due to Ambipolar Diffusion in AC Positive Column Discharges", Fifty-fourth Ohio State University International Symposium on MolecularSpectroscopy, Columbus, Ohio, June 14-18, 1999.

A. Chirokolava, C.M. Lindsay, T. Cronin, X. Wang, and D.S. Perry, "Infrared spectra of methylamine in the asymmetric C-H stretch region", Fifty-first Ohio State University International Symposium on MolecularSpectroscopy, Columbus, Ohio, June 10-14, 1996.