2002
DOI: 10.1209/epl/i2002-00624-x
|View full text |Cite
|
Sign up to set email alerts
|

Collision photography: Imaging of ultrafast atomic processes

Abstract: We study the laser excitation of atomic collision pairs in a differential scattering experiment. The interference structure in the differential cross-section is resolved and shows a considerable variation with the linear polarization of the laser light. A systematic analysis allows the accurate determination of the Condon vectors characterizing the optical transition. The method is thus capable to directly visualize geometric aspects of the collision event, very much like an everyday photography.

Help me understand this report

Search citation statements

Order By: Relevance

Paper Sections

Select...
1

Citation Types

0
4
0

Year Published

2002
2002
2008
2008

Publication Types

Select...
3
1

Relationship

0
4

Authors

Journals

citations
Cited by 4 publications
(4 citation statements)
references
References 9 publications
0
4
0
Order By: Relevance
“…1,2 A considerable amount of work has been carried out on the photodissociation of weakly bound precursor molecules, a process which can also be seen as the second half of a full collision where the precursor molecule represents the transition state of the collision event. 14, 15 We study the laser excitation of atom-molecule collision pairs, Na͑3s ͒ϩM ϩh→Na͑3p ͒ϩM , in a crossed beam experiment. Using crossed beams and differential detection in place of gas cell techniques, photoexcitation offers unprecedented possibilities for observing the collision event and studying the collisional interactions.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…1,2 A considerable amount of work has been carried out on the photodissociation of weakly bound precursor molecules, a process which can also be seen as the second half of a full collision where the precursor molecule represents the transition state of the collision event. 14, 15 We study the laser excitation of atom-molecule collision pairs, Na͑3s ͒ϩM ϩh→Na͑3p ͒ϩM , in a crossed beam experiment. Using crossed beams and differential detection in place of gas cell techniques, photoexcitation offers unprecedented possibilities for observing the collision event and studying the collisional interactions.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…This is seen by the Stueckelberg oscillations appearing in the differential cross sections of atom-atom optical collisions. The effect is understood by the interferences of a few (mainly 2) contributing pathes to a given scattering angle.Excitation of collision pairs with polarized hght gives access to the collision geometry ("collision photography") [5,6]. Control of the coUisional process has also been achieved [7].…”
mentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Excitation of collision pairs with polarized hght gives access to the collision geometry ("collision photography") [5,6]. Control of the coUisional process has also been achieved [7].…”
mentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Control schemes involving collisions in caging reactions [8,9], ultracold gases [10], and bimolecular processes [11,12] show the high potential of the method. Laser polarization as a control tool [10,12,13] gains increased attention [6,14].…”
mentioning
confidence: 99%