Research Interests:

For the most part, the outstanding questions in atomic physics no longer concern fundamental forces or constituent particles. Instead, as in other areas of physical science, many questions still exist because of complexity or technological limitations. Professor Jones and his students use intense electromagnetic pulses with durations as short as 25 femtoseconds to investigate the non-perturbative response of atoms and molecules to intense radiation. Since electrons and nuclei are affected by strong electric fields, quantum dynamics within atoms and molecules can, in some cases, be manipulated and viewed by exposing the system to the appropriate pulse, or pulse sequence. This premise is fundamental to the notion of quantum control, where tailored radiation fields might be designed to drive reactions in specific directions. Current efforts include: the development of new techniques for imaging the evolution of electronic wavefunctions; the control and investigation of time-dependent electron correlation within atoms through the creation of two-electron wavepackets with specific dynamical properties; the use of unipolar electric field pulses to simulate coherent charged-particle/atom collisions; the use of intense short pulse lasers to align or orient molecules and probe molecular structure; and, the study of intense laser alignment, ionization and fragmentation of molecules using fragment-momentum imaging and computerized feedback control of laser pulse-shapes.

Research Group(s):

Ultrafast Laser Atomic Physics Group

Selected Publications:

Current and Recent Courses:

PHYS 2610: Introductory Physics III - Electromagnetism (Lecturer) Fall

Bob Jones’s Personal Home Page.