Research Output per year
Personal profile
Research interests
Dynamics and Kinetics of Molecular Collisions
Collisions between molecules resulting in energy transfer or reaction are the fundamental interactions of chemistry. The research in my group is aimed at deepening our understanding of these elementary steps, and uses the unique properties of lasers to prepare and probe the reagents and products. This work is carried out jointly with Prof Ken McKendrick (see our joint research group webpages).
1. Stereodynamics of Gas-Phase Collisions
Measurement of vector properties (the stereodynamics) of gas-phase collisions are a sensitive probe of the forces involved. We use a variety of novel spectroscopic techniques to study collisional energy transfer, including polarization spectroscopy, crossed molecular beams with velocity-map imaging and frequency modulated spectroscopy (Figure 1). We interpret the results with the help of quantum scattering calculations, often performed by collaborators in other institutions.
Figure 1. CN (A2Pi) prepared with an orientation (preferred sense of rotation). The difference in the signals (the orientation) decreases as collisions with Ar bath gas alter the plane of rotation of the CN.
2. Roaming Atoms and Molecules
A new dynamical channel in molecular photodissociations has recently been identified, in which an atomic or molecular fragment ‘roams’ around its partner before reacting to form the products. The signature of a roaming channel appears in the coincident product state distribution. We have recently built a new velocity-map imaging spectrometer (Figure 2), with the aim of identifying how common roaming reactions really are. This work is in collaboration with Dr Dave Townsend (Physics).
Figure 2. The newly constructed velocity-map imaging spectrometer.
3. Dynamics at the Gas-Liquid Interface
The dynamics of the elementary steps occurring at gas-liquid interfaces has seen very little study, despite their fundamental importance in atmospheric, combustion and other environments. This work, led by Prof Ken McKendrick, studies the inelastic and reactive collisions of OH radicals and oxygen atoms (Figure 3) at surfaces of atmospheric and technological importance.
Figure 3. O(3P) atoms are formed by photolysis, fly to the liquid covered surface of a rotating wheel, and the returning OH radicals are probed by laser-induced fluorescence.
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Research Output
Inelastic Scattering of CN Radicals at the Gas-Liquid Interface Probed by Frequency-Modulated Absorption Spectroscopy
Lane, P. D., Moncrieff, K., Greaves, S. J., McKendrick, K. G. & Costen, M. L., 7 Jul 2020, (Accepted/In press) In : Journal of Physical Chemistry C.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Probing Conformational Heterogeneity at the Ionic Liquid–Vacuum Interface by Reactive-Atom Scattering
Smoll, E. J., Purcell, S. M., D’Andrea, L., Slattery, J. M., Bruce, D. W., Costen, M. L., McKendrick, K. G. & Minton, T. K., 17 Jan 2019, In : Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. 10, 2, p. 156-163 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Open Access
File
Real-space laser-induced fluorescence imaging applied to gas-liquid interfacial scattering
Bianchini, R. H., Roman, M. J., Costen, M. L. & McKendrick, K. G., 7 Aug 2019, In : The Journal of Chemical Physics. 151, 5, 12 p., 054201.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Open Access
File
Collision-Energy Dependence of the Uptake of Hydroxyl Radicals at Atmospherically Relevant Liquid Surfaces
Bianchini, R., Tesa-Serrate, M. A., Costen, M. L. & McKendrick, K. G., 29 Mar 2018, In : Journal of Physical Chemistry C. 122, 12, p. 6648-6660 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Open Access
File
Determining the Composition of the Vacuum-Liquid Interface in Ionic-Liquid Mixtures
Smoll, E. J., Tesa-Serrate, M. A., Purcell, S., D'Andrea, L., Bruce, D. W., Slattery, J. M., Costen, M. L., Minton, T. K. & McKendrick, K. G., 1 Jan 2018, In : Faraday Discussions. 206, p. 497-522 26 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Open Access
File
Datasets
Comparative stereodynamics in molecule-atom and molecule-molecule rotational energy transfer: NO(A2Σ+) + He and D2.
Costen, M. L. (Creator), McKendrick, K. G. (Creator), Townsend, D. (Creator), Luxford, T. F. M. (Creator), Sharples, T. R. (Creator), Heriot-Watt University, 29 Jul 2016
DOI: 10.17861/2b59c978-aa15-45bf-8b24-74c5ff41481b
Dataset
Experimental testing of ab initio potential energy surfaces: Stereodynamics of NO(A2Σ+) + Ne inelastic scattering at multiple collision energies
Costen, M. L. (Creator), Sharples, T. R. (Creator), McKendrick, K. G. (Creator), Luxford, T. F. M. (Creator), Heriot-Watt University, 31 Oct 2016
Dataset
Pair-correlated stereodynamics for diatom-diatom rotational energy transfer: NO(A2Σ+) + N2
Luxford, T. F. M. (Creator), Sharples, T. R. (Creator), McKendrick, K. G. (Creator), Costen, M. L. (Creator), Heriot-Watt University, 21 Mar 2017
DOI: 10.17861/acf2c7d0-6c82-46dd-8d55-1f8991eee01b
Dataset
Rotationally Inelastic Scattering of NO(A2Sigma+)+Ar: Differential cross sections and rotational angular momentum polarization
Costen, M. L. (Creator), Heriot-Watt University, 15 Sep 2015
DOI: 10.17861/3ad18658-f767-4bf0-bb47-2ba7d9f75683
Dataset
Activities
Probing Intermolecular Forces by Vector and Scalar Correlations
Matthew Lawrence Costen (Invited speaker)20 Sep 2019
Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
Vector and Scalar Correlations in Rotationally Inelastic Scattering
Matthew Lawrence Costen (Invited speaker)28 Jun 2019
Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
International Symposium on Molecular Beams
Matthew Lawrence Costen (Member of programme committee)23 Jun 2019 → 28 Jun 2019
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
Scattering Dynamics at the Gas-Liquid Interface
Matthew Lawrence Costen (Contributor), Paul D. Lane (Speaker)29 Jul 2019
Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
Inelastic and Reactive Scattering at Gas-Liquid Interfaces
Matthew Lawrence Costen (Keynote speaker)26 Jul 2018
Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk