Admission requirements
Elective course in the MSc Chemistry.
Suitable for students with a BSc MST or equivalent BSc degree. Students should have a basic understanding of quantum chemistry (atomic s, p, d orbitals, molecular orbitals, meaning of the wave function), the properties of light (energy, wavelength), and the basics of spectroscopy (quantum numbers, selection rules). An optional crash course in these aspects will be provided before the first lecture.
Description
In the course, we will focus on how we can use spectroscopy to understand the chemistry around us: in the lab, in the chemical industry, and in our environment. For example, how can we follow the bond making and breaking during a chemical reaction? How do we determine what the active sites in a catalyst look like? Or how do we measure the concentration of pollutants in our atmosphere?
To answer this type of questions, we will study the physical principles and applications of popular spectroscopic techniques: UV-Vis, IR, Raman, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, EXAFS, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. For each of these methods, we will see what they can tell us about the chemical structure of materials, and how we can apply them in different environments or chemical reactions.
The basic principles of the spectroscopic methods will be introduced in the lecture notes. During the lectures, we will apply these principles to real-life examples. At the end of every lecture, students will present a scientific paper on a related method or application.
Course objectives
At the end of the course, the student can
describe the physical principles of Raman spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, UV-VIS spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, EXAFS, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
describe the vibrational and electronic excitations that can occur in various forms of materials: solids, dissolved molecules or complexes, and gases
extract structural and chemical information out of spectroscopic data
choose a suitable spectroscopic technique to fit a research question
critically evaluate spectroscopic data and their interpretation in the literature
can digest and present a summary of scientific articles from the literature
Timetable
Schedule information can be found on the website of the programmes.
You will find the timetables for all courses and degree programmes of Leiden University in the tool MyTimetable (login). Any teaching activities that you have sucessfully registered for in MyStudyMap will automatically be displayed in MyTimeTable. Any timetables that you add manually, will be saved and automatically displayed the next time you sign in.
MyTimetable allows you to integrate your timetable with your calendar apps such as Outlook, Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and other calendar apps on your smartphone. Any timetable changes will be automatically synced with your calendar. If you wish, you can also receive an email notification of the change. You can turn notifications on in ‘Settings’ (after login).
For more information, watch the video or go the the 'help-page' in MyTimetable. Please note: Joint Degree students Leiden/Delft have to merge their two different timetables into one. This video explains how to do this.
Mode of Instruction
Lectures, exercises, and computer labs.
Assessment method
Presentation (30%)
Exam (70%)
The grade for each component of the assessment must exceed an unrounded 6.0 grade to pass the course.
Participation in the computer labs is mandatory.
Reading list
Lecture notes
Slides presented during the lectures
Scientific literature
For some exercises, we will use this book (freely available online via the university library): Peter Larkin, Infrared and raman spectroscopy: principles and spectral interpretation, Elsevier 2011
Registration
From the academic year 2022-2023 on every student has to register for courses with the new enrollment tool MyStudyMap. There are two registration periods per year: registration for the fall semester opens in July and registration for the spring semester opens in December. Please see this page for more information.
Please note that it is compulsory to both preregister and confirm your participation for every exam and retake. Not being registered for a course means that you are not allowed to participate in the final exam of the course. Confirming your exam participation is possible until ten days before the exam.
Extensive FAQ's on MyStudymap can be found here.
Contact
Remarks
Assignment deadlines are communicated via Brightspace.
A laptop running Windows operating system is required.
According to OER article 4.8, students are entitled to view their marked examination for a period of 30 days following the publication of the results of a written examination. Students should contact the lecturer to make an appointment for such an inspection session.