Stark control of a chiral fluoroethylene derivative

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that the non-resonant dynamic Stark effect can effectively suppress hydrogen dissociation in a chiral fluoroethylene derivative, enabling controlled torsional motion around the C=C bond.

Contribution

It introduces a novel laser control method using the dynamic Stark effect to manipulate reaction pathways in a chiral fluoroethylene derivative.

Findings

Hydrogen dissociation can be significantly reduced using the Stark effect.

Wavepacket simulations show controlled torsional motion is achievable.

Potential energy calculations support the feasibility of laser control.

Abstract

Hydrogen dissociation is an unwanted competing pathway if a torsional motion around the C=C double bond in a chiral fluoroethylene derivative, namely (4-methylcyclohexylidene) fluoromethane (4MCF), is to be achieved. We show that the excited state H-dissociation can be drastically diminished on timescales long enough to initiate a torsion around the C=C double bond using the non-resonant dynamic Stark effect. Potential energy curves, dipoles and polarizabilities for the regarded one-dimensional reaction coordinate are calculated within the CASSCF method. The influence of the excitation and the laser control field is then simulated using wavepacket dynamics.