Research

The integration of teaching and research increases the depth and breadth of learning. I am working hard to establish an active research lab to help my students develop scientific research skills. My interdisciplinary academic background and research expertise in computational chemistry and molecular spectroscopy have provided me with the ideas and skills to pursue research projects using both theoretical and experimental methods.

My research interests are focused on the theoretical prediction and the experimental detection of "exotic species", i.e., carbenes and free radicals. The outcomes of this research might have significance in the following areas:

Implementing in-situ diagnostics in semiconductor device fabrication processes by providing unique signatures of selected molecular species.
Developing robust and cost effective instrumentation for atmospheric remote sensing of trace halocarbons.
Testing and evaluating the ab initio methods for open shell radicals by comparing theoretical predictions with experimental results. For example, my work on ĊF₂CCH was used to test the Gaussian software package when it was under development.

Research Methodology:

The preliminary study of a new project will be focused on the ab initio predictions of molecular structures, rotational constants, centrifugal distortion constants, dipole moments, and the fine and hyperfine constants of target molecular species. I learned a lot from Gaussian Inc. on how to use ab initio methods to predict spectroscopic constants during our collaboration between 2000 and 2003. In addition, the theoretical study not only provides us with an insight into our target species, but also helps us interpret the experimental results.

The experimental study of the target molecular species is described as below:

recording the high resolution rotational spectra,
obtaining the spectroscopic constants, i.e., rotational, centrifugal distortion, and molecular fine and hyperfine constants from experimental measurements,
deriving useful molecular properties, e.g., molecular structures, dipole moments, and electron population densities on specific atoms from obtained spectroscopic constants.

A DC-discharge nozzle will be used to generate the exotic molecular species in the pulsed supersonic molecular beam. Then a Balle-Flygare Fourier transform microwave (FTMW) spectrometer will be used to record the rotational spectra of the target molecular species. The ultra high resolution (~1 kHz) of this technique makes it possible to resolve even the finest fingerprints of spectrum due to the hyperfine splittings of open shell free radicals. Pickett's SPFIT/SPCAT program package will be used to fit spectroscopic constants from the assigned spectra. Various molecular properties can be derived from those constants.

Publications:

13. The microwave spectra of the weakly bound complex between carbon monoxide and cyanoacetylene, OC   - HCCCN
      L. Kang; S. E. Novick
      Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy, 276-277, 10 - 13, (2012)

12. Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy of the reactive intermediate monoiodosilylene HSiI and DSiI
      L. Kang; M. A. Gharaibeh; D. J. Clouthier; S. E. Novick
      Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy, 271(1), 33 - 37, (2012)

11. The interplay of phenol and isopropyl isomerism in propofol from broad band chirped-pulse microwave spectroscopy
      A. Lesarri; S. T. Shipman; J. L. Neill; G. G. Brown; R. D. Suenram; L. Kang; W. Caminati; B. H. Pate
      Journal of the American Chemical Society, 132, 13417 - 13424, (2010)

10. Hyperfine spectrum of NaF
      J. Cedeberg; L. Kang; C. Conklin; E. Berger
      Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy, 263(2), 142 - 144, (2010)

9.   Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy of monobromogemylene (HGeBr and DGeBr), a heavy atom carbene analog
      L. Kang; F. X. Sunahori; A. J. Minei; D. J. Clouthier; S. E. Novick
      The Journal of Chemical Physics, 130, 124317, (2009)

8.   The microwave spectrum of cyanophosphaacetylene, H₂PCCCN
      L. Kang; A. J. Minei; S. E. Novick
      Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy, 240(2), 255 - 259, (2006)

7.   The microwave spectrum of the 1,1-difluoro-2-ynyl radical, F₂ĊCCH
      L. Kang; S. E. Novick
      The Journal of Chemical Physics, 125(5), 054309(8 pages), (2006)

6.   The microwave spectrum of HGeCl
      W. Lin; L. Kang; S. E. Novick
      Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy, 230(1), 93 - 98, (2005)

5.   Microwave spectra of cyanophosphine, H₂PCN
      L. Kang; S. E. Novick
      Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy, 225(1), 66 - 72, (2004)

4.   Rotational spectra of argon acetone: a two-top internally rotating complex
      L. Kang; A. R. Keimowitz; M. R. Munrow; S. E. Novick
      Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy, 213(2), 122 - 129, (2002)

3.   Microwave spectroscopy of four new perfluoromethyl polyyne chains: trifluoropentadiyne, CF₃CCCCH, trifluoroheptatriyne, CF₃CCCCCCH, tetrafluoropentadiyne, CF₃CCCCF, and trifluoromethylcyanoacetylene, CF₃CCCN.
      L. Kang; S. E. Novick
      Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 106(15), 3749 - 3753, (2002)

2.   Water vapor measurement via cavity ring down spectroscopy in the visible frequency
      D. Dai;  F. Sun; L. Kang; Y. Gu; G. Sha; J. Xie; B. Yang; F. Sang; Q. Zhuang; C. Zhang
      Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 3268(Gas and Chemical Lasers and Intense Beam Applications), 198 - 200, (1998)

1.   Cavity ring down spectroscopy setup for high repetition rate real time measurement.
      D. Dai;  F. Sun; L. Kang; Y. Gu; G. Sha; J. Xie
      Hua Xue Wu Li Xue Bao, 10(6), 481 - 486, (1997)

Presentations:

16. Microwave spectroscopy of bis-(trifluoromethyl) peroxide, CF₃OOCF₃ (RH 09)
      65^th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/2010), Columbus, OH
      Lu Kang; Stewart E. Novick

15. Microwave spectroscopy of the heavy-atom carbene analogs: HSiI and DSiI (RF 12)
      64^th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/2009), Columbus, OH
      Lu Kang; Mohammed A. Gharaibeh; Dennis J. Clouthier; Stewart E. Novick

14. Microwave spectroscopy of the heavy-atom carbene analog HGeBr (FC 09)
      63^rd International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/2008), Columbus, OH
      Lu Kang; Fumie X. Sunahori; Andrea J. Minei; Dennis J. Clouthier; Stewart E. Novick

13. Microwave spectrum of 1,1-difluorocyanomethyl radical, ĊF₂CN (FC 06)
      63^rd International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/2008), Columbus, OH
      Lu Kang; Stewart E. Novick

12. The low frequency broadband Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy of hexafluoropropylene oxide, CF₃CFOCF₂(RH 10)
      63^rd International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/2008), Columbus, OH
      Lu Kang; Steven T. Shipman; Justin L. Neill; Alberto Lesarri; Brooks H. Pate

11. Gas-phase conformational landscape of the anaesthetics propofol, benzocaine, and benzocaine ··· water using ultra-broadband chirped-pulse microwave spectroscopy (RH 07)
      63^rd International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/2008), Columbus, OH
      Alberto Lesarri; Steven T. Shipman; Gordon G. Brown; Leonardo Alvarez-Valtierra; Richard D. Suenram; Brooks H. Pate; Lu Kang

10. Determination of the structure of the neon methylene cyclobutane complex (WF 06)
      63^rd International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/2008), Columbus, OH
      Wei Lin; Andrea Minei; Lu Kang; Wallace C. Pringle; Stewart E. Novick

9.  The microwave spectra of the linear OC HCCCN, OC DCCCN, and the T-shaped HCCCN CO₂ complexes (RG 09)
     62^nd International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/2007), Columbus, OH
     Lu Kang; Stewart E. Novick

8. The microwave spectrum of cyanophosphaacetylene, H₂P−C≡C−C≡N (MH 04)
     61^st International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/2006), Columbus, OH
     Lu Kang; Andrea J. Minei; Stewart E. Novick

7.  The microwave spectrum of HGeCl (TH 07)
     59^th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/2004), Columbus, OH
     Wei Lin; Lu Kang; Stewart E. Novick

6.  A High Resolution Study of Three Top Internal Rotors: The Microwave Spectra of Trimethylsilane, (CH₃)₃SiH, Trimethylsilylacetylene, (CH₃)₃Si−C≡CH, and Trimethylsilylacetylene, (CH₃)₃Si−C≡C−C≡CH (RH 06)
     58^th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/2003), Columbus, OH
     Lu Kang; Stewart E. Novick

5.  Rotational Spectrum of Cyanophosphine, H₂PCN (TE 07)
     58^th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/2003), Columbus, OH
     Lu Kang; Stewart E. Novick; Michael C. McCarthy; Patrick Thaddeus

4.  Rotational Spectroscopy of 1,1-Difluoroprop-2-ynyl Radical, F₂Ċ−C≡C−H (MF 08)
     58^th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/2003), Columbus, OH
     Lu Kang; Stewart E. Novick

3.  Microwave Spectra of Four New Perfluoromethyl Polyyne Chains: Trifluoropentadiyne, CF₃−C≡C−C≡C−H, Trifluoroheptatriyne, CF₃−C≡C−C≡C−C≡C−H, Tetrafluoropentadiyne, CF₃−C≡C−C≡C−F, and Trifluoromethylcyanoacetylene, CF₃−C≡C−C≡N (TJ 08)
     57^th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/2002), Columbus, OH
     Lu Kang; Stewart E. Novick

2. The study of vibrational excited states with a FT-MW spectrometer
     3^rd Northeast Microwave Symposium (04/28/2001), University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
     Lu Kang; Stewart E. Novick

1.  Internal Rotation of Argon Acetone (WF 09)
     54^th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (06/1999), Columbus, OH
     Lu Kang; Alison R. Keimowitz; Michaeleen R. Munrow; Stewart E. Novick

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Research