Laser Chemistry–What is Its Current Status?

Abstract

In recent years, various methods have been developed to observe and to influence the course of chemical reactions using laser radiation. By selectively increasing the translational, rotational, and vibrational energies and by controlling the relative orientation of the reaction partners with tunable infrared and UV lasers, direct insight can be gained into the molecular course of the breaking and re‐forming of chemical bonds. Examples for the application of lasers include the synthesis of monomers such as vinyl chloride and polymers such as polyethylene, the synthesis of biologically active substances such as vitamin D3, the separation of isotopes, the removal of impurities, the production of catalysts, glasses, and ceramics, and the deposition and ablation of material on surfaces. Finally, several applications of lasers in medicine are discussed.

Tailoring Transition‐Metal Hydroxides and Oxides by Photon‐Induced Reactions

“…Laser irradiation of solutions can induce electronic and/or vibrational excitation of reagent molecules/ions, which can trigger certain chemical reactions and lead to the nucleation and growth of certain materials –. Under 532 nm laser irradiation, water molecules can be ionized due to multi‐photon excitation .…”

Laser Photolysis and Thermolysis of Organic Selenides and Tellurides for Chemical Gas-phase Deposition of Nanostructured Materials

“…Interaction of molecules by UV laser radiation allows their electronic excitation and the decomposition from high singlet or triplet, or vibrationally excited ground states [ 25 ]. Interaction of molecules with IR laser radiation takes place via collisionless or collisional multiple-photon excitation transferring the absorbing molecule to high vibrational levels of the ground state [ 24 ].…”

“…The advent of laser chemistry about three decades ago proved many advantages of the use of the highly collimated, intense and monochromatic radiation of lasers for inducing chemical reactions of a variety of organic and organometallic compounds [ 24 , 25 , 26 ]. Interaction of laser radiation with organic selenides and tellurides leading to extrusion of chalcogen has been studied in various arrangements for chemical vapor deposition of elemental chalkogen and materials composed of elemental chalkogen or metal chalkogenide.…”

Growth and characterization of LiYF4:Nd single crystal fibres for optical applications

“…Moreover, fluoride crystals doped with Nd 3+ ions are promising laser media in the ultraviolet spectral region (UV 190-270 nm) [7], that is interesting as a tool for the airborne environmental monitoring by LIDAR (light detection and ranging) [8]. In medicine, it could be useful for the asepsis in chirurgical procedures [9]. Usually, asepsis is done by conventional UV lamp sources, which are big in size and not portable.…”