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Current
Research on Molecular Processing
The ability to understand, manipulate and control physico-chemical processes
at the molecular level is one of the great challenges of modern research and
underpins the development of what are envisaged to be the vibrant new
technologies of the 21st century. Such single molecule engineering requires
selective bond cleavage in target molecules to allow subsequent management
of the local site chemistry. Recent research has revealed that it is
possible to influence the excitation and dissociation of molecules through
the manipulation of electron interactions at the individual molecular level.
Since electrons are ubiquitous in nature and electron induced reactions (in
the gaseous phase, on surfaces and in the condensed phase) initiate and
drive the basic physical-chemical processes in many areas of science and
technology our ability to control electron interactions provides exciting
new opportunities that can now be exploited by both the research and
technological communities. Some examples of areas of current research in
which the ability to utilise electrons to manipulate molecular processes
will be now be briefly discussed.
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