We study the order in which a strong laser field removes multiple electrons from a van der Waals (vdW) cluster. The N2Ar, with an equilibrium T-shaped geometry, contains both a covalent and a vdW bond and serves as a simple yet rich example. Interestingly, the fragmenting double and triple ionizations of N2Ar with vdW bond breaking are favored when the vdW bond is aligned along the laser field polarization vector. However, the orientation of the covalent bond with respect to the laser field rules the triple ionization when both the covalent and vdW bonds are simultaneously broken. Electron-localization-assisted enhanced ionization and molecular orbital profile-dominated, orientation-dependent ionization are discussed to reveal the order of electrons release from different sites of N2Ar.

We propose and illustrate numerically a class of nanoscale, ultrafast logic gates with the further advantage of reconfigurability. Underlying the operation of the gates and their versatility is the concept of polarization control of the electromagnetic energy propagating via metal nanoparticle arrays. Specifically, a set of different logic gates is shown to obtain from a single metal nanoparticle junction by modification of the polarization properties of the input light sources. Implications and extensions of the gates are discussed.

We propose a design for a class of molecular rotors fixed to a semiconductor surface, induced by a moderately intense, linearly polarized laser pulse. The rotor consists of an organic molecule possessing a polarizable headgroup that is attached via a linear component to the surface. The polarization direction in parallel to the surface plane is determined so as to maximize the torque experienced by the molecular headgroup and, hence, the duration of the ensuing rotation, while also controlling the sense of rotation. We find that the molecule continues to rotate for many rotational periods after the laser pulse turns off, before multiple scattering by the potential barrier results in dephasing.