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FELIX Infrared and THz Spectroscopy

Our group develops and uses mass spectrometric techniques in combination with advanced infrared and terahertz spectroscopy. Our main scientific focus is in the field of laboratory astrophysics and astrochemistry.

Our research

We aim to understand the chemical evolution in astrophysical environments, such as interstellar star-forming regions or (exo-) planetary atmospheres, by simulating their conditions in the laboratory. For this we apply infrared spectroscopy to obtain vibrational fingerprints of molecules to aid their identification in space.

The spectroscopic information allows us to identify molecular structures within isomeric mixtures, and thus to unravel and to understand astrochemical reaction kinetics and networks, both in the gas-phase or in ices.

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Our publications

Infrared predissociation spectroscopy of cold trapped C2H−(H2) and C2H−(D2)

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Author(s) S.P. Melath, K. Dulitz, M. Hauck, D. Swaraj, F. Dahlmann, M.D. Gerlach, D.F. Dinu, P. Jusko, K.R. Liedl, S. Schlemmer, S. Brünken, and R. Wester
Year 2025
Journal Mol. Phys. e2564248
View paper in Molecular Physics

Radical Isomerization upon Dissociative Electron Ionization of Anthracene and Phenanthrene

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Author(s) M.M. Patch, R. McClish, S. Panchagnula, H.R. Hrodmarsson, D.B. Rap, S. Brünken, H. Linnartz, A.G.G.M. Tielens, and J. Bouwman
Year 2025
Journal J. Am. Chem. Soc. 147, 34508-34516
View paper in Journal of the American Chemical Society

Roadmap on carbon molecular nanostructures in space

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Author(s) Piero Ferrari, Jos Oomens, Giel Berder, Sandra Brüncken, Joost Bakker e.a.
Year 2025
Journal The European Physical Journal D, Volume 79, article number 94
View this paper in The European Physical Journal D

Studying Pure CH4 and the Interaction of CH4 and H2O in Interstellar Ice Analogues with On-Resonance Infrared Irradiation

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Author(s) J. G. M. Schrauwen, H. M. Cuppen, S. Ioppolo and B. Redlich
Year 2025
Journal Physical Chemistry A
View this paper in Physical Chemistry A

Group members