Observation of enhanced field-free molecular alignment by two laser pulses.
We show experimentally that field-free alignment of iodobenzene molecules, induced by a single, intense, linearly polarized 1.4-ps-long laser pulse, can be strongly enhanced by dividing the pulse into two optimally synchronized pulses of the same duration. For a given total energy of the two-pulse sequence the degree of alignment is maximized with an intensity ratio of 1:3 and by sending the second pulse near the time where the alignment created by the first pulse peaks.
Bisgaard
Christer Z
CZ
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Aarhus, 8000 Arhus C, Denmark.
Poulsen
Mikael D
MD
Péronne
Emmanuel
E
Viftrup
Simon S
SS
Stapelfeldt
Henrik
H