Stuart Mackenzie

Professor of Chemistry, Head of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory

My research in photonics revolves around the development of novel spectroscopic techniques applied to a variety of interesting scientific problems. In particular we are interested in the study of dynamical interfacial phenomena and spectroscopy in the condensed phase.

In the last decade, cavity-based optical techniques such as cavity ring-down and cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy have revolutionised sensitive gas-phase trace detection. Extension of the technique to the condensed phase has been comparatively slow and yet it is here that such methods could help address important technological problems. We are developing a range of fast condensed phase variants of both cavity ring-down and cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy including some utilising evanescent fields and supercontinuum sources in order to study dynamical interfacial phenomena. Recent systems studied include the seeding and growth of nanostructured materials, DNA assisted desorption of porphyrins and redox reactions of surface immobilised cytochrome-c.

For more information, please visit my research pages or send me an email.