Orientation Resolution through Rotational Coherence Spectroscopy

Abstract

The rich information content of measurements in the molecular frame rather than the laboratory frame has motivated the development of several methods for aligning gas phase molecules in space. Even so, for asymmetric tops the problem of making molecular frame measurements remains challenging due to its inherently multi-dimensional nature. In this Letter we present a method, based on the analysis of observables measured from rotational wavepackets, that does not require either 3D alignment or coincident momentum measurements to access the molecular frame. As an application we describe the first fully-orientation-resolved measurements of strong-field ionization and dissociation of an asymmetric top (ethylene).