Cooperation between ACI and PhoenixD have successfully raised funds for a Praying Mantis:
A joint application by the Behrens and Polarz working groups for expanded equipment for our UV/Vis spectrometer was approved. Through funding from the Cluster of Excellence PhoenixD, we will receive a new Praying Mantis with a versatile measuring cell before the end of this year. This will make it possible to investigate solids under very controlled conditions and thus gain in-depth information about the optical properties of these solids. Measurements in a wide temperature range of up to 900 °C and under increased or decreased pressure in almost any gas atmosphere will thus be possible and provide us with a better understanding of the optical properties of our new materials. The apparatus is called Praying Mantis because it uses mirrors that hover over the sample much like the raised front arms/legs of a praying mantis.
