title: Molecular alignment by trains of short laser pulses.
abstract: We show that a dramatic field-free molecular alignment can be achieved after exciting molecules with proper trains of strong ultrashort laser pulses. Optimal two- and three-pulse excitation schemes are defined, providing an efficient and robust molecular alignment. This opens new prospects for various applications requiring macroscopic ensembles of highly aligned molecules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Physics, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leibscher
authors.forename: I Sh
authors.initials: ISh
authors.lastname: Averbukh
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rabitz