Making the best of mixed-field orientation of polar molecules: A recipe for achieving adiabatic dynamics in an electrostatic field combined with laser pulses

TL;DR

This paper explores how to optimize the mixed-field orientation of polar molecules using a combination of laser pulses and electric fields, achieving strong alignment and orientation through adiabatic and nonadiabatic dynamics.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive experimental and theoretical analysis of mixed-field orientation, offering a practical recipe for achieving adiabatic dynamics in molecular control.

Findings

Strong alignment and orientation of OCS molecules achieved

Laser pulses induce adiabatic alignment, but combined with electric fields lead to nonadiabatic effects

Theoretical models explain the transition between adiabatic and nonadiabatic regimes

Abstract

We have experimentally and theoretically investigated the mixed-field orientation of rotational-state-selected OCS molecules and we achieve strong degrees of alignment and orientation. The applied moderately intense nanosecond laser pulses are long enough to adiabatically align molecules. However, in combination with a weak dc electric field, the same laser pulses result in nonadiabatic dynamics in the mixed-field orientation. These observations are fully explained by calculations employing, both, adiabatic and non-adiabatic time-dependent models.