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.

References in corpus (6)

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Cited by in corpus (7)

• Visualizing molecular unidirectional rotation
• Field-free long-lived alignment of molecules in extreme rotational states
• Quantum versus classical dynamics in the optical centrifuge
• Laser control of molecular rotation: Expanding the utility of an optical centrifuge
• Enhancing reactivity of SiO${}^{+}$ ions by controlled excitation to extreme rotational states
• Controlling rotation in the molecular-frame with an optical centrifuge
• Nonlinear dynamics of molecular superrotors