Tom Kirchner's Personal Homepage

For information on PHYS 3010 (Winter 2013) go here

For information on PHYS 4011/5050 (Winter 2013) go here

For information on PHYS 1410 (Fall/Winter 2012/2013) go here

Dr. Tom Kirchner
Associate Professor of Physics
Department of Physics and Astronomy
York University
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3
Tel: (416) 736-2100 ext 33695
Fax: (416) 736-5516
tomk [at] yorku.ca Tom

Research

My research is concerned with the question of how atomic and molecular few-body systems respond to perturbations exerted on them by impinging particles and external fields. Such collision or laser field induced quantum dynamics have implications for a variety of topics and applications ranging from plasma diagnostics to radiation biology. What is more, they constitute a problem of fundamental importance: How do the building blocks of matter interact and evolve in space and time? The better this question is answered the more is learned about a further issue that receives considerable attention: Can few-body quantum dynamics be manipulated purposefully and controlled actively? I have participated in a number of projects and activities to elucidate these topics by theoretical analysis and computations. The approaches used include density functional theory based methods to deal with the many-electron problem, and both nonperturbative and perturbative quantum methods to describe the dynamics of the systems. Currently, we are working on a method to describe ionization and fragmentation of multi-center molecules. First applications are concerned with ion-induced fragmentation of water, which is a relevant process in the radiation damage of biological tissue.

Recent papers

T. Kirchner, M. Murakami, M. Horbatsch, and H. J. Lüdde, Calculations for charge transfer and ionization in heavy-particle collisions from water molecules, J. Phys.: Conference Series 388, 012038 (2012)
M. Murakami, T. Kirchner, M. Horbatsch, and H. J. Lüdde, Quantum-mechanical calculation of multiple electron removal and fragmentation cross sections in He⁺-H₂O collisions, Phys. Rev. A 86, 022719 (2012)
M. Murakami, T. Kirchner, M. Horbatsch, and H. J. Lüdde, Fragmentation of water molecules by proton impact: the role of multiple electron processes, Phys. Rev. A 85, 052713 (2012)
M. Murakami, T. Kirchner, M. Horbatsch, and H. J. Lüdde, Single and multiple electron removal processes in proton-water vapor collisions, Phys. Rev. A 85, 052704 (2012)

In the long run we hope to study even more complex systems, thereby exploring the transition from correlated to collective dynamics. Our central goals are to contribute to a microscopic understanding of time-resolved quantum dynamics and to investigate applicability and limitations of density functional theory by practical calculations.

Full list of my publications

Vita (last update August 1, 2012)

To York's Physics and Astronomy department homepage