McCall Research Group

Laboratory Projects

	Ball Plasmas We are studying this unique, long-lived, water-based plasma through chemical and plasma diagnostic techniques in order to better understanding the phenomena sustaining these plasmas.
	Chemical Physics of H₃⁺ H₃⁺ is one of the most important ions in intersteallar chemistry. We study the nuclear spin dependence of the chemical physics of H₃⁺, both its dissociative recombination rate and its reaction with H₂.
	High Resolution Mid-IR Spectroscopy With Quantum Cascade Lasers We aim to collect a rotationally-resolved, cold, gas-phase spectrum of the infrared allowed vibrational band of buckminsterfullerene at ~8.4 micron (1185 cm^-1).
	OPO-NICE-OHVMS We have developed a system that couples an optical parametric oscillator with the NICE-OHVMS technique to study molecular ions in the mid-IR.
	SCRIBES SCRIBES (Sensitive, Cooled, Resolved Ion BEam Spectroscopy) is a novel technique being developed in the McCall lab to acquire high-resolution vibrational spectra of astronomically important ions.
	Spectroscopic Techniques To collect spectra with high sensitivity and resolution, we use a variety of cavity-enhanced spectroscopic techniques.
	Raman Laser Development We have performed measurements of the refractive index of solid para-hydrogen, and are using these measurements to develop a solid hydrogen Raman laser.
	Supersonic Expansion Discharge Source For the SCRIBES project, a continuous source of rotationally cold ions is necessary. We are developing and characterizing an ion source that couples a DC discharge with a continuous supersonic expansion.