Strong Field Coherent Control: Interpreting Control Dynamics and Measuring Wave Functions

This research program is developing the understanding of how strong field laser pulses can be used to control molecular dissociation and applying this understanding to characterizing non-equilibrium molecular wave functions. We are moving from demonstrations of control in atoms and simple molecules toward a quantitative understanding of molecular control and extending control to multi-electron systems. We aim to fuse wave function measurement with strong field laser control in order to see how the subtle features of molecular wave functions which we can characterize affect the chemically relevant dynamics (i.e. bond breaking and formation). This research program continually seeks to integrate teaching and research and impact a large range of participants. People involved in the research include undergraduate students (visiting students through the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates program as well as students at Stony Brook University), local high school teachers (through the NSF Research Experience for Teachers program), graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and visiting scholars. Of the five PhD students in the group, three are women. The PI recently developed and taught a new graduate course closely coordinated with the research program, focusing on a time domain approach to atomic and molecular physics and coherent control. The group has developed close collaborations with two theory groups, emphasizing qualitative and quantitative interpretations of their measurements through detailed calculations and exposing the students in the group to both experiment and theory firsthand. The work is inherently multi-disciplinary, and encourages students to develop knowledge and interests at the boundary between physics and chemistry. It also provides excellent technical and scientific training in the enabling areas of optics, ultrafast laser technology, vacuum hardware, data acquisition hardware and computer programming.