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Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Direct Imaging of Laser-driven Ultrafast Molecular Rotation
Published on: February 4, 2017
Observation of molecular vibrations in the time domain with incoherent laser pulses
Abstract:
With the method of self-diffraction of incoherent light, molecular vibrations were observed in real time in various dye molecules pumped near the absorption edge. In Rhodamine 560, 35-fsec oscillations in the signal were measured, which corresponds to a vibrational frequency of 1000 cm(-1). Simultaneously, this technique can be used to deduce the ultrafast dephasing times in the molecular vibrational quasi-continuum. Dephasing times of 20 and 150 fsec were observed in Rhodamine 590 and Rhodamine 560, respectively.
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