Field-free molecular alignment of asymmetric top molecules using elliptically polarized laser pulses

A. Rouzee (1) , S. Guerin (1) , O. Faucher (1) , B. Lavorel (1)

1 ICB - Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne

We show theoretically that a short specific elliptically polarized laser pulse driving an asymmetric top molecule can induce postpulse revivals of three-dimensional (3-D) alignment. By choosing the field ellipticity resulting in the best compromise between the alignment of two molecular axes, we demonstrate that efficient 3-D alignment can be achieved at low temperature. In the experiment, the field-free alignment of moderately cool ethylene molecules is probed by using a technique based on the optical Kerr effect. Control of 3-D field-free alignment opens the door to a large range of applications in chemistry as well as in molecular optics.

Domaines: Optique [physics.optics]

A. Rouzee, S. Guerin, O. Faucher, B. Lavorel. Field-free molecular alignment of asymmetric top molecules using elliptically polarized laser pulses. Physical Review A : Atomic, molecular, and optical physics [1990-2015], 2008, 77, pp.043412. ⟨hal-00397189⟩