Manipulating the torsion of molecules by strong laser pulses.
We demonstrate that strong laser pulses can induce torsional motion in a molecule consisting of a pair of phenyl rings. A nanosecond laser pulse spatially aligns the carbon-carbon bond axis, connecting the two phenyl rings, allowing a perpendicularly polarized, intense femtosecond pulse to initiate torsional motion accompanied by an overall rotation about the fixed axis. We monitor the induced motion by femtosecond time-resolved Coulomb explosion imaging. Our theoretical analysis accounts for and generalizes the experimental findings.
Madsen
C B
CB
Lundbeck Foundation Theoretical Center for Quantum System Research, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
Madsen
L B
LB
Viftrup
S S
SS
Johansson
M P
MP
Poulsen
T B
TB
Holmegaard
L
L
Kumarappan
V
V
Jørgensen
K A
KA
Stapelfeldt
H
H