skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Contribution of the Gouy phase to two-pathway coherent control of the photoionization and photodissociation of vinyl chloride

Journal Article · · Journal of Chemical Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3040269· OSTI ID:21254974
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Department of Chemistry (m/c 111), University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60680-7061 (United States)
  2. Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130021 (China)

The electric field of a light wave accumulates a {pi} phase shift as it passes through a focus. We show here how this effect, known as the Gouy phase, may be used to control the branching ratio of a unimolecular reaction when the products are formed with different numbers of photons. We demonstrate this control method for the ionization and dissociation of vinyl chloride, using absorption of 177 and 532 nm photons to induce a pair of interfering paths. Excellent agreement between the observed and calculated phase shift as a function of the axial coordinate of the laser focus indicates that fragmentation occurs via a ladder switching mechanism. The axial dependence of the modulation depth is evidence of loss of coherence at higher internal temperatures of the molecule.

OSTI ID:
21254974
Journal Information:
Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 129, Issue 24; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3040269; (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-9606
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English