title: Quantum-state selection, alignment, and orientation of large molecules using static electric and laser fields.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Filsinger
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Küpper
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.forename: Lotte
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holmegaard
authors.forename: Jens H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Iftach
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nevo
authors.forename: Jonas L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stapelfeldt