Phase control of rotational wave packets and quantum information.
Lasers can create rotational wave packets in gas-phase molecules which periodically revive as field-free, aligned distributions. We control the wave packet evolution with relatively weak laser pulses at fractional revivals which modify the phase between wave packet components. We demonstrate two phase control effects in oxygen: coherently switching revivals off and on, and doubling the revival frequency. When viewed as a quantum logic system, these effects correspond to a Hadamard and a T operation.
Lee
Kevin F
KF
Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6.
Villeneuve
D M
DM
Corkum
P B
PB
Shapiro
E A
EA