Journal Article

PUBDB-2018-02606

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Coherent Control of the Rotation Axis of Molecular Superrotors

Owens, A.CFEL* ; Yachmenev, A. (Corresponding author)CFEL*DESY* ; Küpper, J.CFEL*DESY*

2018
ACS Washington, DC

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1021/acs.jpclett.8b01689  doi:10.3204/PUBDB-2018-02606

Abstract: The control of ultrafast molecular rotational motion has benefited from the development of innovative techniques in strong-field laser physics. Here, we theoretically demonstrate a novel type of coherent control by inducing rotation of an asymmetric-top molecule about two different molecular axes. An optical centrifuge is applied to the hydrogen sulfide (H$_2$S) molecule to create a molecular superrotor, an object performing ultrafast rotation about a well-defined axis. Using two distinct pulse envelopes for the optical centrifuge, we show that H$_2$S can be excited along separate pathways of rotational states. This leads to stable rotation about two entirely different molecular axes while ensuring rotation is about the propagation direction of the centrifuge, i.e., the laboratory-fixed $Z$-axis. The presented scheme to control the angular momentum alignment of a molecule will, for instance, be useful in studies of molecule-molecule or molecule-surface scattering, especially due to the large amounts of energy associated with superrotors, which can even be controlled by changing the duration of the optical centrifuge pulse.

Note: © American Chemical Society

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. CFEL-Coherent X-Ray Imaging (FS-CFEL-1)
2. Controlled Molecule Imaging (FS-CFEL-CMI)
3. beauftragt von UNI (UNI/CUI)

Research Program(s):

1. 6211 - Extreme States of Matter: From Cold Ions to Hot Plasmas (POF3-621) (POF3-621)
2. CUI - Hamburger Zentrum für ultraschnelle Beobachtung (194651731) (194651731)
3. COMOTION - Controlling the Motion of Complex Molecules and Particles (614507) (614507)

Experiment(s):

1. No specific instrument

Appears in the scientific report 2018

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Database coverage:
; ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; IF >= 5 ; JCR ; NCBI Molecular Biology Database ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Thomson Reuters Master Journal List ; Web of Science Core Collection

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