title: Observation of nondispersing classical-like molecular rotation.
abstract: Using the technique of an optical centrifuge, we produce rotational wave packets which evolve in time along either classical-like or non-classical trajectories. After releasing O2 and D2 molecules from the centrifuge, we track their field-free rotation by monitoring the molecular angular distribution with velocity map imaging. Due to the dispersion of the created rotational wave packets in oxygen, we observe a gradual transition between "dumbbell"-shaped and "cross"-shaped distributions, both rotating with a classical rotation frequency. In deuterium, a much narrower rotational wave packet is produced and shown to evolve in a truly classical non-dispersing fashion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of British Columbia, 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z1. korobenk@phas.ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Aleksey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Korobenko
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Hepburn
authors.forename: Valery
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Milner