Measurement of field-free molecular alignment by cross-defocusing assisted polarization spectroscopy

doi:10.1364/OE.17.016300

Measurement of field-free molecular alignment by cross-defocusing assisted polarization spectroscopy

Jian Wu, Hua Cai, Yuqi Tong, and Heping Zeng »View Author Affiliations

Optics Express, Vol. 17, Issue 18, pp. 16300-16305 (2009)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.17.016300

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Abstract
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Abstract

We demonstrate the measurement of field-free molecular alignment of nitrogen by a cross-(de)focusing assisted polarization spectroscopy technique, allowing us to distinguish the transient orientation of prealigned molecules on the basis of the relative ratio of the adjacent revival peaks of the measured signal. For impulsive excitation with high pump intensities, the involved orientation-dependent ionization of the neutral molecules contributes to the signal.

OCIS Codes
(260.5950) Physical optics : Self-focusing
(320.7110) Ultrafast optics : Ultrafast nonlinear optics

ToC Category:
Ultrafast Optics

History
Original Manuscript: June 4, 2009
Revised Manuscript: August 11, 2009
Manuscript Accepted: August 26, 2009
Published: August 28, 2009

Citation
Jian Wu, Hua Cai, Yuqi Tong, and Heping Zeng, "Measurement of field-free molecular alignment by cross-defocusing assisted polarization spectroscopy," Opt. Express 17, 16300-16305 (2009)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-17-18-16300

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References

F. Rosca-Pruna and M. J. J. Vrakking, “Experimental observation of revival structures in picosecond laser-induced alignment of I₂,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 87(15), 153902 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
H. Stapelfeldt and T. Seideman, “Colloquium: Aligning molecules with strong laser pulses,” Rev. Mod. Phys. 75(2), 543–557 (2003). [CrossRef]
V. Renard, M. Renard, S. Guérin, Y. T. Pashayan, B. Lavorel, O. Faucher, and H. R. Jauslin, “Postpulse molecular alignment measured by a weak field polarization technique,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 90(15), 153601 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
E. Hertz, D. Daems, S. Guérin, H. R. Jauslin, B. Lavorel, and O. Faucher, “Field-free molecular alignment induced by elliptically polarized laser pulses: Noninvasive three-dimensional characterization,” Phys. Rev. A 76(4), 043423 (2007). [CrossRef]
R. A. Bartels, T. C. Weinacht, N. Wagner, M. Baertschy, C. H. Greene, M. M. Murnane, and H. C. Kapteyn, “Phase modulation of ultrashort light pulses using molecular rotational wave packets,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 88(1), 013903 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
T. Kanai, S. Minemoto, and H. Sakai, “Quantum interference during high-order harmonic generation from aligned molecules,” Nature 435(7041), 470–474 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
C. Vozzi, F. Calegari, E. Benedetti, J.-P. Caumes, G. Sansone, S. Stagira, M. Nisoli, R. Torres, E. Heesel, N. Kajumba, J. P. Marangos, C. Altucci, and R. Velotta, “Controlling two-center interference in molecular high harmonic generation,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 95(15), 153902 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
J. Wu, H. Qi, and H. Zeng, “Extreme-ultraviolet frequency combs by surface-enhanced optical fields with diatomic molecules,” Phys. Rev. A 77(5), 053412 (2008). [CrossRef]
G. H. Lee, I. J. Kim, S. B. Park, T. K. Kim, and C. H. Nam, “Measurement of the polarization of high-order harmonics from aligned N(2) molecules by spatial interferometry,” Opt. Lett. 33(18), 2083–2085 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
J. Wu, H. Cai, H. Zeng, and A. Couairon, “Femtosecond filamentation and pulse compression in the wake of molecular alignment,” Opt. Lett. 33(22), 2593–2595 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Y. Chen, C. Marceau, F. Théberge, M. Châteauneuf, J. Dubois, and S. L. Chin, “Polarization separator created by a filament in air,” Opt. Lett. 33(23), 2731–2733 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
H. Cai, J. Wu, Y. Peng, and H. Zeng, “Comparison study of supercontinuum generation by molecular alignment of N2 and O2.,” Opt. Express 17(7), 5822–5828 (2009). [PubMed]
J. Wu, H. Cai, Y. Peng, and H. Zeng, “Controllable supercontinuum generation by the quantum wake of molecular alignment,” Phys. Rev. A 79, 041404(R) (2009).
H. Cai, J. Wu, A. Couairon, and H. Zeng, “Spectral modulation of femtosecond laser pulse induced by molecular alignment revivals,” Opt. Lett. 34(6), 827–829 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
J. Wu‚ H. Cai‚ A. Couarion‚ and H. Zeng, “Wavelength tuning of a few-cycle laser pulse by molecular alignment in femtosecond filamentation wake,” Phys. Rev. A 79‚ 063812 (2009).
J. Wu, H. Cai, A. Couarion, and H. Zeng, “Few-cycle shock X-wave generation by filamentation in pre-aligned molecules,” Phys. Rev. A 80(1), 013828 (2009). [CrossRef]
V. Renard, O. Faucher, and B. Lavorel, “Measurement of laser-induced alignment of molecules by cross defocusing,” Opt. Lett. 30(1), 70–72 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
V. Loriot, E. Hertz, A. Rouzée, B. Sinardet, B. Lavorel, and O. Faucher, “Strong-field molecular ionization: determination of ionization probabilities calibrated with field-free alignment,” Opt. Lett. 31(19), 2897–2899 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
I. V. Litvinyuk, K. F. Lee, P. W. Dooley, D. M. Rayner, D. M. Villeneuve, and P. B. Corkum, “Alignment-dependent strong field ionization of molecules,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 90(23), 233003 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
N. Xu, C. Wu, Y. Gao, H. Jiang, H. Yang, and Q. Gong, “Measurement of the field-free alignment of diatomic molecules,” J. Phys. Chem. A 112(4), 612–617 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Y. H. Chen, S. Varma, A. York, and H. M. Milchberg, “Single-shot, space- and time-resolved measurement of rotational wavepacket revivals in H(2), D(2), N(2), O(2), and N(2)O,” Opt. Express 15(18), 11341–11357 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
J. Wu, H. Zeng, and C. Guo, “Polarization effects on nonsequential double ionization of molecular fragments in strong laser fields,” Phys. Rev. A 75(4), 043402 (2007). [CrossRef]
R. Boyd, Nonlinear Optics, 2nd ed. (Academic Press, New York, 2003).
A. Couairon and A. Mysyrowicz, “Femtosecond filamentation in transparent media,” Phys. Rep. 441(2-4), 47–189 (2007). [CrossRef]

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[1] F. Rosca-Pruna and M. J. J. Vrakking, “Experimental observation of revival structures in picosecond laser-induced alignment of I₂,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 87(15), 153902 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[2] H. Stapelfeldt and T. Seideman, “Colloquium: Aligning molecules with strong laser pulses,” Rev. Mod. Phys. 75(2), 543–557 (2003). [CrossRef]

[3] V. Renard, M. Renard, S. Guérin, Y. T. Pashayan, B. Lavorel, O. Faucher, and H. R. Jauslin, “Postpulse molecular alignment measured by a weak field polarization technique,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 90(15), 153601 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[4] E. Hertz, D. Daems, S. Guérin, H. R. Jauslin, B. Lavorel, and O. Faucher, “Field-free molecular alignment induced by elliptically polarized laser pulses: Noninvasive three-dimensional characterization,” Phys. Rev. A 76(4), 043423 (2007). [CrossRef]

[5] R. A. Bartels, T. C. Weinacht, N. Wagner, M. Baertschy, C. H. Greene, M. M. Murnane, and H. C. Kapteyn, “Phase modulation of ultrashort light pulses using molecular rotational wave packets,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 88(1), 013903 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[6] T. Kanai, S. Minemoto, and H. Sakai, “Quantum interference during high-order harmonic generation from aligned molecules,” Nature 435(7041), 470–474 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[7] C. Vozzi, F. Calegari, E. Benedetti, J.-P. Caumes, G. Sansone, S. Stagira, M. Nisoli, R. Torres, E. Heesel, N. Kajumba, J. P. Marangos, C. Altucci, and R. Velotta, “Controlling two-center interference in molecular high harmonic generation,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 95(15), 153902 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[8] J. Wu, H. Qi, and H. Zeng, “Extreme-ultraviolet frequency combs by surface-enhanced optical fields with diatomic molecules,” Phys. Rev. A 77(5), 053412 (2008). [CrossRef]

[9] G. H. Lee, I. J. Kim, S. B. Park, T. K. Kim, and C. H. Nam, “Measurement of the polarization of high-order harmonics from aligned N(2) molecules by spatial interferometry,” Opt. Lett. 33(18), 2083–2085 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[10] J. Wu, H. Cai, H. Zeng, and A. Couairon, “Femtosecond filamentation and pulse compression in the wake of molecular alignment,” Opt. Lett. 33(22), 2593–2595 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[11] Y. Chen, C. Marceau, F. Théberge, M. Châteauneuf, J. Dubois, and S. L. Chin, “Polarization separator created by a filament in air,” Opt. Lett. 33(23), 2731–2733 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[12] H. Cai, J. Wu, Y. Peng, and H. Zeng, “Comparison study of supercontinuum generation by molecular alignment of N2 and O2.,” Opt. Express 17(7), 5822–5828 (2009). [PubMed]

[13] J. Wu, H. Cai, Y. Peng, and H. Zeng, “Controllable supercontinuum generation by the quantum wake of molecular alignment,” Phys. Rev. A 79, 041404(R) (2009).

[14] H. Cai, J. Wu, A. Couairon, and H. Zeng, “Spectral modulation of femtosecond laser pulse induced by molecular alignment revivals,” Opt. Lett. 34(6), 827–829 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[15] J. Wu‚ H. Cai‚ A. Couarion‚ and H. Zeng, “Wavelength tuning of a few-cycle laser pulse by molecular alignment in femtosecond filamentation wake,” Phys. Rev. A 79‚ 063812 (2009).

[16] J. Wu, H. Cai, A. Couarion, and H. Zeng, “Few-cycle shock X-wave generation by filamentation in pre-aligned molecules,” Phys. Rev. A 80(1), 013828 (2009). [CrossRef]

[17] V. Renard, O. Faucher, and B. Lavorel, “Measurement of laser-induced alignment of molecules by cross defocusing,” Opt. Lett. 30(1), 70–72 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[18] V. Loriot, E. Hertz, A. Rouzée, B. Sinardet, B. Lavorel, and O. Faucher, “Strong-field molecular ionization: determination of ionization probabilities calibrated with field-free alignment,” Opt. Lett. 31(19), 2897–2899 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[19] I. V. Litvinyuk, K. F. Lee, P. W. Dooley, D. M. Rayner, D. M. Villeneuve, and P. B. Corkum, “Alignment-dependent strong field ionization of molecules,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 90(23), 233003 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[20] N. Xu, C. Wu, Y. Gao, H. Jiang, H. Yang, and Q. Gong, “Measurement of the field-free alignment of diatomic molecules,” J. Phys. Chem. A 112(4), 612–617 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[21] Y. H. Chen, S. Varma, A. York, and H. M. Milchberg, “Single-shot, space- and time-resolved measurement of rotational wavepacket revivals in H(2), D(2), N(2), O(2), and N(2)O,” Opt. Express 15(18), 11341–11357 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[22] J. Wu, H. Zeng, and C. Guo, “Polarization effects on nonsequential double ionization of molecular fragments in strong laser fields,” Phys. Rev. A 75(4), 043402 (2007). [CrossRef]

[23] R. Boyd, Nonlinear Optics, 2nd ed. (Academic Press, New York, 2003).

[24] A. Couairon and A. Mysyrowicz, “Femtosecond filamentation in transparent media,” Phys. Rep. 441(2-4), 47–189 (2007). [CrossRef]

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Measurement of field-free molecular alignment by cross-defocusing assisted polarization spectroscopy