Course Identification

Undergraduate course in physical chemistry or quantum mechanics

Part I (12 hours): Overview of atomic and molecular spectroscopy:
This part of the course develops a working knowledge of the main topics of spectroscopy. Topics include fundamentals of atomic spectroscopy (atomic structure, Pauli exclusion, Russel-Saunders and j-j coupling, spin-orbit coupling, hyperfine structure, symmetry and selection rules, line intensities, Stark and Zeeman effects, and Rydberg atoms) and an overview of molecular spectroscopy (electronic term symbols, vibrational spectroscopy, rotational spectroscopy, potential energy surfaces, and the Frank-Condon principle).

Part II (16 hours): Mathematics of spectroscopy: 
Topics include angular momentum theory, group theory, Euler angles, perturbation theory, and the van Vleck transformation.

Part III (12 hours): Advanced topics:
This part of the course revisits Part I using the tools developed in Part II. Topics include Hund’s cases of angular momentum coupling, spectroscopic perturbations, Lambda doubling, normal modes, vibronic interactions, conical intersections, and coherent control.

Upon successful completion of the course the students will be able to:

1. Apply group theory and quantum mechanical angular momentum to the interpretation of vibrational, rotational, and electronic spectra of molecules.

Text: Robert Gordon, Online Notes; Peter Bernath, Spectra of Atoms and Molecules

Additional reading: Richard Zare, Angular Momentum; F. Albert Cotton, Chemical Applications of Group Theory