A combined experimental and theoretical study on realizing and using laser controlled torsion of molecules

TL;DR

This study demonstrates how strong laser pulses can induce and control torsional motion in a chiral molecule, combining experimental femtosecond imaging with theoretical analysis to explore future applications in molecular dynamics and nanotechnology.

Contribution

It provides the first combined experimental and theoretical demonstration of laser-controlled torsion in a specific chiral molecule, enabling new avenues for molecular manipulation.

Findings

Laser pulses induce torsional motion in DFDBrBPh.

Femtosecond Coulomb explosion imaging monitors the motion.

Theoretical analysis supports experimental results.

Abstract

It is demonstrated that strong laser pulses can introduce torsional motion in the axially chiral molecule 3,5-diflouro-3',5'-dibromo-biphenyl (DFDBrBPh). A nanosecond laser pulse spatially aligns the stereogenic carbon-carbon (C-C) bond axis allowing a perpendicularly polarized, intense femtosecond pulse to initiate torsional motion accompanied by a rotation about the fixed axis. We monitor the induced motion by femtosecond time-resolved Coulomb explosion imaging. Our theoretical analysis corroborates the experimental findings and on the basis of these results we discuss future applications of laser induced torsion, viz., time-resolved studies of de-racemization and laser controlled molecular junctions based on molecules with torsion.