title: Impulsive laser induced alignment of molecules dissolved in helium nanodroplets.
abstract: We show that a 450 fs nonresonant, moderately intense, linearly polarized laser pulse can induce field-free molecular axis alignment of methyliodide (CH(3)I) molecules dissolved in a helium nanodroplet. Time-resolved measurements reveal rotational dynamics much slower than that of isolated molecules and absence of the sharp transient alignment recurrences characteristic of gas phase molecules. Our results presage a range of new opportunities for exploring both molecular dynamics in a dissipative environment and the properties of He nanodroplets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pentlehner
authors.forename: Jens H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Alkwin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slenczka
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mølmer
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stapelfeldt