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Picosecond pulse-shaping for strong three-dimensional field-free alignment of generic asymmetric-top molecules

Author

Listed:
  • Terry Mullins

    (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY)

  • Evangelos T. Karamatskos

    (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
    Universität Hamburg)

  • Joss Wiese

    (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
    Universität Hamburg
    Universität of Hamburg)

  • Jolijn Onvlee

    (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
    Universität of Hamburg
    Radboud University)

  • Arnaud Rouzée

    (Max Born Institute)

  • Andrey Yachmenev

    (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
    Universität of Hamburg)

  • Sebastian Trippel

    (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
    Universität of Hamburg)

  • Jochen Küpper

    (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
    Universität Hamburg
    Universität Hamburg
    Universität of Hamburg)

Abstract

Fixing molecules in space is a crucial step for the imaging of molecular structure and dynamics. Here, we demonstrate three-dimensional (3D) field-free alignment of the prototypical asymmetric top molecule indole using elliptically polarized, shaped, off-resonant laser pulses. A truncated laser pulse is produced using a combination of extreme linear chirping and controlled phase and amplitude shaping using a spatial-light-modulator (SLM) based pulse shaper of a broadband laser pulse. The angular confinement is detected through velocity-map imaging of H+ and C2+ fragments resulting from strong-field ionization and Coulomb explosion of the aligned molecules by intense femtosecond laser pulses. The achieved three-dimensional alignment is characterized by comparing the result of ion-velocity-map measurements for different alignment directions and for different times during and after the alignment laser pulse to accurate computational results. The achieved strong three-dimensional field-free alignment of $$ =0.89$$ = 0.89 demonstrates the feasibility of both, strong three-dimensional alignment of generic complex molecules and its quantitative characterization.

Suggested Citation

  • Terry Mullins & Evangelos T. Karamatskos & Joss Wiese & Jolijn Onvlee & Arnaud Rouzée & Andrey Yachmenev & Sebastian Trippel & Jochen Küpper, 2022. "Picosecond pulse-shaping for strong three-dimensional field-free alignment of generic asymmetric-top molecules," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-28951-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28951-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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