Luning Zhang

Biography

In our group, we study how to use different kinds of optical techniques for probing molecular interactions at micrometer and nanometer scale. The objective is to develop new optical imaging and spectroscopic tools that can probe physical, chemical, and biological processes under small length scales. First, we want to develop new optical techniques, aiming at nanometer scale resolutions, so as to probe small changes in pH, temperature, charge, molecular orientation, bonding, etc. Second, we hope to apply these new techniques in solving some basic and important chemistry problems, such as behavior under small length scale, non-equilibrium dynamics, single molecule recognition, and plasmonic nanoparticle coupling.   In our group, we study how to use different kinds of optical techniques for probing molecular interactions at micrometer and nanometer scale. The objective is to develop new optical imaging and spectroscopic tools that can probe physical, chemical, and biological processes under small length scales. First, we want to develop new optical techniques, aiming at nanometer scale resolutions, so as to probe small changes in pH, temperature, charge, molecular orientation, bonding, etc. Second, we hope to apply these new techniques in solving some basic and important chemistry problems, such as behavior under small length scale, non-equilibrium dynamics, single molecule recognition, and plasmonic nanoparticle coupling.  

Research Interest

1. Photothermal effect of microsphere and nanoparticle for chemical environment sensing; 2. Microsphere Enabled Raman Superresolution Imaging (MERSI); 3. Common black soap film for the study of nanoconfinement effect of water; 4. Optical tweezers for the study of interaction between micro-environment and microspheres; 5. Infrared laser photo-dissociation - Time of flight mass spectrometry for novel bonding characterization.