Lawrence Ziegler

Professor (Chemistry, MSE), Associate Division Head (MSE)

Office 8 Saint Mary’s Street, room 719
Email lziegler@bu.edu
Phone 617-353-8663

Publications

View a complete list of publications chronologically by year.
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Research Areas

Current research activities in the Ziegler laboratory are centered on two types of optical spectroscopic methodologies: femtosecond laser spectroscopy and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, each employing matter-radiation interactions to address different questions about biological, chemical or materials systems.
Ultrafast multidimensional IR studies of hydrated phospholipids and nucleic acids are carried out to learn about the structure and fluctuation properties of “biological waters”. Vibrational energy relaxation and IR photon echo measurements of a reporter molecule (N2O) are used to characterize the static and dynamic properties of these special waters. Interfacial waters of lipid bilayers and nucleic acid structures are central factors influencing the way these molecules interact with their surroundings, mediating membrane, nucleic acid and protein interactions. (with Shyam Erramilli group).
Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy is being developed as a methodology for rapid, sensitive (single cell level), species and strain specific, portable detection and identification of bacterial cells. Sample preparation (with Kathy Clapperich) and SERS substrate development (with Bjoern Reinhard, Luca Dal Negro) are also components of this project along with analytical software development. An additional goal of this project is to provide a molecular level description of the chemical activity of bacterial cells at their outer layers as reflected in these SERS signals.
Ultrafast studies of some novel semiconductor materials including ; ZnO single crystals (with Enrico Bellotti), Si nanocrystals (with Luca Dal Negro), GaN thin films (with Ted Moustakas), single walled carbon nanotubes (with Anna Swan). Transmission and reflection pump-probe and photon echo measurements are used to learn about the earliest electronic relaxation properties in these materials.

Honors and Awards

National Research Council – NRL Cooperative Research Associateship Award, 1981 – 1983

Additional Affiliations

Division of Materials Science & Engineering

Department or Division: Materials Science & Engineering

Affiliations: Administration & Staff, Primary & Affiliated Faculty

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