Southern Illinois University

Welcome to Laser Spectroscopy and Optical Physics Research Laboratory!

Our research is focused primarily on high-resolution spectroscopy techniques for biomedical and environmental sciences as well as understanding the laser-material interaction phenomena.

Several analytical techniques are adopted and combined to improve the detection of biomolecules in a complex media and also for fundamental studies of laser-material interactions:

1. Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) Show more

   LIBS is an atomic emission spectroscopy based on laser-induced plasma generation. It is capable of determine the elemental concentration down to part-per-million (ppm) level, and it allows the local analysis in micro-regions in the order of tens microns spatial resolution typically. Further, LIBS requires no or minimal sample preparation and much smaller volumes of samples. The fundamental aspect of LIBS is relatively straight forward, and LIBS allows real-time spectral analysis, but fundamental understanding of laser-material interactions phenomena is still not understood fully.
2. Laser Ablation-Resonance Enhanced Photoionization Mass Spectrometry(LA-REPMS) Show more

   Mass spectrometry is one of the most influential analytical techniques across various disciplines especially for probing elements and molecules in complex media, especially biomolecules. By introducing innovative ionization method (resonance enhanced ionization method) and spatial and depth characterization allow for a significant improvement of sensitivity and selectivity. Unlike other methods, this approach mitigates the interference of the chemical and physical nature of the sample by a selective ionization process using a tunable laser and increases the sensitivity and selectivity.
3. Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) Show more

   SERS, requires little or no sample preparation, is a powerful analytical technique for analysis the chemical structure and composition of the sample via measuring the vibrational energy levels. Here, the photons from inelastic scattering are very sensitive to changes in molecular structure, and it is highly sensitive to slight changes at the molecular level and requires no sample preparation. Compared to other techniques, SERS has advantages such as non-destruction and not highly depend on photon excitation energy. Raman spectroscopy becomes active if there is a change in the polarizability of molecule during the vibration.
4. Fourier Transformed-infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) Show more

   FT-IR is an infrared (IR) spectroscopy, one of the most common and widely used spectroscopy techniques for chemical analysis, based on the Michelson interferometer technique. Unlike a disperse spectroscopy technique, this collects all the wavelength simultaneously using a Fourier transformation method. FT-IR spectroscopy becomes active if there is a change in the dipole of molecule bond during the vibration.
5. NanoDrop^TM One/One^c Microvolume UV-Vis Spectrophotometer Show more

   Coming soon...

Our team is very busy on setting up the experiment. We have made a tremendous progress. Check out our facilities and research pages for more details.

If you (undergraduate or graduate student) are interested in joining our team, feel free to contact Prof. Sivakumar. The field of laser spectroscopy in biological/biomedical/environmental applications is still a young science, making it an ideal field for advanced research studies. It is also an attractive field for bringing the undergraduate students into STEM fields. Its applications are versatile, and it is exceptionally joyful to work with laser technology.