S. Burçin Bayram

Biography

As an experimental Atomic, Molecular and Optical (AMO) physicist in the Department of Physics at Miami University, I am passionately interested in involving students at all levels in my research activities. My research focuses on exploring the dynamics of light-matter interactions using short laser pulses on atomic and molecular systems. My students are actively involved in designing experiments and building lasers. They employ these lasers along with fiber optics, spectrometers, electronics, light-sensitive detectors, signal processing, and remote control of devices in hands-on physics research. This work provides students at all levels with advanced scientific and technical training. My research in molecular physics has received continuous funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) since 2013.

I am also passionate about creating innovative teaching materials to enhance student success in Advanced Laboratory Courses in atomic and molecular physics. To support this goal, I developed straightforward and cost-effective experiments focused on the vibrational and rotational spectra of diatomic molecules. I shared these findings through publications in educational journals.

Education

• Joined Miami University in 2002
• Post Doctoral Fellowship, University of Michigan, 1999-2002
• Ph.D. Physics, Old Dominion University, Virginia, 1998
• B.Sc. Physics, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, 1992

Research Interests

My research area is experimental atomic, molecular, and optical physics, and molecular quantum optics, with a primary focus on the coherent interaction of light with matter. My group uses laser pulse sequences and high-resolution molecular spectroscopy to investigate the highly excited electronic state of target diatomic molecules, such as sodium, lithium, and NaK, in a heatpipe oven. Employing advanced techniques such as double or triple resonance excitation and a photon-counting method, we measure the radiative lifetimes and collisional dynamics of the excited state molecules. The study of highly excited molecules is specifically interesting due to the exotic double-peak structure in molecular states, opening up potential applications in ultracold physics. The relatively simple yet still sufficiently rich internal structure of these molecules is a compelling target for testing fundamental laws of nature and probing novel states of quantum matter.

Courses

I teach Advanced Laboratory in Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy, advanced Classical Mechanics for physics majors and introductory level calculus- and algebra-based physics for science and non-science majors.

Selected Publications

• Md. Shakil Bin Kashem*, Morgan Davies*, Lok R. Pant*, S. Burcin Bayram, "Molecular Spectroscopy as a Laboratory Experiment: Measurement of Important Parameters of Sodium Diatomic Molecules", American Journal of Physics, vol. 91, issue. 12, pg. 1015-1022 (2023).
• S.B. Bayram, M. Lyyra and N. Melikechi, Book: "Optical Spectroscopy and Imaging for Cancer Diagnostics" in Chapter 2: "Light Interaction with Atoms and Molecules", pages 29-43, World Scientific Publishing, February (2023). doi:10.1142/12907
• D. Wagle*, L.R. Pant*, J. Converse*, S. Wenner*, Z. Saglam* and S.B. Bayram, "Rovibrationally resolved radiative lifetime and collisional cross section measurements of the 6sSg(v=6,7, J=31) state of molecular sodium", J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf., vol. 261C, pg. 107438 (2021).

* Refers to Miami University students