Quantum-state selection, alignment, and orientation of large molecules using static electric and laser fields.
Supersonic beams of polar molecules are deflected using inhomogeneous electric fields. The quantum-state selectivity of the deflection is used to spatially separate molecules according to their quantum state. A detailed analysis of the deflection and the obtained quantum-state selection is presented. The rotational temperatures of the molecular beams are determined from the spatial beam profiles and are all approximately 1 K. Unprecedented degrees of laser-induced alignment (<cos2 theta2D>=0.972) and orientation of iodobenzene molecules are demonstrated when the state-selected samples are used. Such state-selected and oriented molecules provide unique possibilities for many novel experiments in chemistry and physics.
Filsinger
Frank
F
Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
Küpper
Jochen
J
Meijer
Gerard
G
Holmegaard
Lotte
L
Nielsen
Jens H
JH
Nevo
Iftach
I
Hansen
Jonas L
JL
Stapelfeldt
Henrik
H