(the complex refractive index), the imaginary component
describes the extent to which light is absorbed at a given frequency.
Resonant frequency: The frequency at which the local amplitude of
oscillation is a maximum.
Reversible reaction: A reaction in which the rate constant for the reverse
of a reaction is of similar magnitude to the forward rate constant
for a reaction. In contrast, irreversible reactions either have
products that leave the system or very small reverse rate constants
such that the reverse reaction cannot occur at any significant
frequency.
s-Polarized light: Electric field vector polarized along the plane of
incidence.
Sauerbrey equation: The simplest mathematical relation used for analyzing QCM data, in which the change in mass adsorbed to the
surface of a QCM sensor is linearly proportional to the shift in
resonance frequency of the quartz crystal in the sensor.
Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM): A sensitive imaging technique
that exploits a small tunneling current between a surface and a tip
to detect minute changes in surface topology.
Scatchard equation: An equation that relates the equilibrium constant
of a reaction involving many small molecules (ligands) binding to
a large molecule (macromolecule) with many potential binding
sites to the ligand and the concentration of binding sites, under
the assumption that all of the binding sites are identical and
independent (binding at one site does not affect binding at others,
or noncooperative binding).
Schrödinger wave equation: The fundamental equation of quantum
mechanics, which represents the state of a system in terms of a
wavefunction and a Hamiltonian (energy operator).
Second-harmonic generation: A nonlinear optical effect in which the
frequency of light is doubled when passed through a material.
Selection rules: Quantum mechanical rules that describe whether or not
an absorption or emission process can occur.
Self-assembled monolayer (SAM): A surface coverage that forms when
molecules are spontaneously attracted to a functional surface,
454
Glossary
describes the extent to which light is absorbed at a given frequency.
Resonant frequency: The frequency at which the local amplitude of
oscillation is a maximum.
Reversible reaction: A reaction in which the rate constant for the reverse
of a reaction is of similar magnitude to the forward rate constant
for a reaction. In contrast, irreversible reactions either have
products that leave the system or very small reverse rate constants
such that the reverse reaction cannot occur at any significant
frequency.
s-Polarized light: Electric field vector polarized along the plane of
incidence.
Sauerbrey equation: The simplest mathematical relation used for analyzing QCM data, in which the change in mass adsorbed to the
surface of a QCM sensor is linearly proportional to the shift in
resonance frequency of the quartz crystal in the sensor.
Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM): A sensitive imaging technique
that exploits a small tunneling current between a surface and a tip
to detect minute changes in surface topology.
Scatchard equation: An equation that relates the equilibrium constant
of a reaction involving many small molecules (ligands) binding to
a large molecule (macromolecule) with many potential binding
sites to the ligand and the concentration of binding sites, under
the assumption that all of the binding sites are identical and
independent (binding at one site does not affect binding at others,
or noncooperative binding).
Schrödinger wave equation: The fundamental equation of quantum
mechanics, which represents the state of a system in terms of a
wavefunction and a Hamiltonian (energy operator).
Second-harmonic generation: A nonlinear optical effect in which the
frequency of light is doubled when passed through a material.
Selection rules: Quantum mechanical rules that describe whether or not
an absorption or emission process can occur.
Self-assembled monolayer (SAM): A surface coverage that forms when
molecules are spontaneously attracted to a functional surface,
454
Glossary