MBI Colloquium
Mittwoch, 19. Juli 2023 // 14.00 - 15.00
Max-Born-Institut für Nichtlineare Optik und Kurzzeitspektroskopie
Max-Born-Straße 2a,
12489 Berlin
Max Born Hall
Quantum control of atoms, molecules and their interaction
Prof. Christiane Koch | FU Berlin
Control refers to the ability to steer a dynamical system using external fields; quantum control does so by exploiting the wave nature of matter. One way to think of it is in terms of constructive and destructive interference between different quantum pathways, all connecting the same initial and final states. I will illustrate the concept of pathway interference using the photoionization of chiral molecules, i.e., molecules with a left-handed or right-handed nuclear scaffold, as example. An experimental realization of these theoretical proposals is hampered by present limitations on an accurate modelling of the molecular electronic structure. Atoms, in contrast, can be modeled very accurately, and we have shown recently that theoretically calculated pulses yield highly precise control in experiments with Rydberg atoms. The exquisite control over Rydberg atoms makes them a versatile component of the quantum control toolbox, and I will lay out the principles of Rydberg-atom enabled spectroscopy of polar molecules. Finally, I will touch upon the question to what extent the interaction between atoms and molecules can be controlled and highlight the role of resonances.
