Prof. Theofanis N. Kitsopoulos

 

Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry, Chemistry Department , University of Crete
Affiliated Researcher, Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL)
Foundation for Research and Technology-HELLAS (FORTH)

 

Researh Field

Experimental Physical Chemistry

 

Studies

B.Sc. in Chemistry (1986), University of Illinois at Chicago
Ph.D. Physical Chemistry (1991) University of California at Berkeley
Postdoctoral Fellow 1991-1993 Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, California

 

Research Interests

My group's interest is the study of Chemical Dynamics.  Specifically our experiments aim towards the determination of the state-to-state differential cross section for a chemical process be it a full or half collision.   The experimental method used is called velocity mapping or ion imaging.  The ultimate goal it to try and understand the effects of excited electronic states on chemical reactivity.  This is why the initial experiments conducted on Crete have been concerned with determining the Branching Ratios for the various electronic states of hot atoms produced by photofragmentation. Recently we have worked out a facile method to measure the photofragment alignment and orientation from single ion images.  In a second stage we are investigating how the reactivity of these species depend on each electronic state.  Towards this we have recently been able to couple a single beam experiment (photoloc) with the velocity mapping detection to measure the differential cross section for the Cl+ethane reaction.  A separate activity which my group has been involved with is the photoelectron spectroscopy of conductive organic thin films.

 

Experimental methodologies

Implementation and development of position sensitive imaging techniques for studying the dynamics of chemical processes

Molecular beam techniques.

Laser based multiphoton ionization spectroscopy for the characterization of products.

Photoelectron spectroscopy.

 

Contact Information

Tel:      +30-81-391467

Fax:      +30-81-391318

E-mail:   theo@iesl.forth.gr

Mail Address: 

Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL)
Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH)
P.O. Box 1527
711 10 Heraklion-Crete
GREECE

 

Recent Publications

1.     P.C. Samartzis, I. Sakellariou, T.Gougousi and T.N. Kitsopoulos, Photofragmentation study of Cl2 using ion imaging, J. Chem. Phys. 107, 43 (1997).

2.      P.C. Samartzis and T.N. Kitsopoulos, Two-Photon Dissociation Study of CS2 Using Ion Imaging, J. Phys. Chem. 101, 5620 (1997).

3.      P.C. Samartzis, T.Gougousi and T.N. Kitsopoulos, Photodissociation study of CH3Br in the first continuum, J. Chem. Phys. 108, 5742 (1998).

4.      P.C. Samartzis, T.Gougousi, and T.N. Kitsopoulos, Photofragmentation study of Cl2 at 308 nm, Laser. Chem. 17, 185 (1998).

5.      P.C. Samartzis, B.L.G. Bakker, T.P. Rakitzis, D.H. Parker and T.N. Kitsopoulos, Spin-orbit branching ratios for the Cl-atom photofragment following the excitation of Cl2 from 310 to 470 nm, J. Chem. Phys. 110, 5201 (1999).

6.      P.C. Samartzis, B.L.G. Bakker, D.H. Parker and T.N. Kitsopoulos, Two-photon photolelectron and photofragment spectra of CH3I using fs and ps  laser pulses, J. Phys. Chem. A 103, 6106 (1999).

7.      Ô.P. Rakitzis, P.C. Samartzis, and T.N. Kitsopoulos, Observing the symmetry breaking in the angular distributions of oriented photofragments using velocity mapping, J. Phys. Chem. 111, 10415 (1999).

8.      T.N. Kitsopoulos and D.H. Parker,  Velocity Mapping Studies of Vibrational Energy Disposal Following Methyl Iodide Photodissociation, J. Chin. Chem. Soc. 46, 513 (1999).

9.      P.C. Samartzis, T.N. Kitsopoulos M.N.R. Ashfold Imaging studies of the Multiphoton Excitation, Dissociation and Ionization of Br2, PCCP  2, 453 (2000).

10.  B.L.G. Bakker, D.H. Parker, P.C. Samartzis, and T.N. Kitsopoulos, Non-resonant photofragmentation/ionization dynamics of O2 using picosecond and femtosecond laser pulses at 248 nm J. Chem. Phys. 112, 5654 (2000).

11.  D. Dimitrov, S. Trakhtenberg and R. Naaman, D. J. Smith, P.C. Samartzis, T.P. Rakitzis and T.N. Kitsopoulos, Momentum dependence of electron transmission through organized organic thin films, Chem. Phys. Lett. 322, 587 (2000).

12.  P.C. Samartzis, D. J. Smith, T.P. Rakitzis and T.N. Kitsopoulos, State Resolved Differential Cross Section Measurement of Cl + C2H6 ® HCl + C2H5 Reaction using Single Beam Velocity Mapping, Chem. Phys. Lett. 324, 337 (2000).