title: Alignment of molecules in pulsed resonant laser fields.
abstract: We investigate by numerical simulations the dynamics of alignment of linear molecules in resonant pulsed laser fields and its dependence on pulse length, field strength, and molecular parameters. We propose an analytical short-time approximation for the time-dependent wave packets. We provide a theoretical basis for the occurrence of saturation in the rotational pumping. We present a formula to predict the time at which the maximum alignment occurs. We discuss the magnitude of the laser-induced alignment and we relate it to a theoretical upper limit.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa, via Risorgimento 35, I-56126 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Granucci
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Persico
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Leuven