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Updated: Dec 8, 2025

Generation and Coherent Control of Pulsed Quantum Frequency Combs
Published on: June 8, 2018
On Weak-Field (One-Photon) Coherent Control of Photoisomerization
Diptesh Dey1, Niels E Henriksen1
1Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Building 207, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark.
Abstract:
Photochemistry induced by phase-coherent laser light is an intriguing topic. The possibility of weak-field (one-photon) phase-only control of photoisomerization is controversial. Experimental studies on the weak-field coherent control of cis-trans isomerization have led to conflicting results. Here we address this issue by quantum dynamical calculations, focusing on a mechanism where different "phase-shaped" wave packets are quickly stabilized ("dumped") in the trans configuration because of prompt energy dissipation. We systematically investigate different relaxation rates with the system-bath dynamics described within the time-dependent Hartree approximation leading to a friction-type force. We find evidence for phase control of trans-isomer yields (about 5%) in this model with pure energy dissipation given sufficiently strong dampening.
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