Laser control of complete vibrational transfer in Na$_2$ using resonance coalescence

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how laser parameters can be tuned around an exceptional point to control vibrational transfer in Na$_2$ molecules, enabling efficient vibrational cooling with minimal dissociation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel laser control method using resonance coalescence at an exceptional point for vibrational state transfer in molecules.

Findings

Successful vibrational transfer with only 20% dissociation

Resonance exchange achieved through adiabatic tuning around exceptional point

Potential for molecular cooling applications

Abstract

With a specific choice of laser parameters resulting into a so-called exceptional point in the wavelength-intensity plane, it is possible to produce the coalescence of two Floquet resonances describing the photodissociation of the molecule Na$_2$, which is one of the candidates for molecular cooling. Appropriately tuning laser parameters, following a contour around the exceptional point, the resonances exchange their labels. This represents a laser control of the vibrational transfer from one field-free state to another, through an adiabatic transport involving these resonances. The proportion of undissociated molecules at the end of the pulse is checked through Floquet adiabatic theory. A vibrational cooling scenario can be proposed based on a complete vibrational transfer which is predicted, with only 20 percent of molecules undergoing dissociation.