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Updated: May 9, 2025

Measurement of Ultrafast Vibrational Coherences in Polyatomic Radical Cations with Strong-Field Adiabatic Ionization
Published on: August 6, 2018
Rotationally Resolved Spectroscopy of a Single Polyatomic Molecule
Aaron Calvin1, Samuel Kresch1, Merrell Brzeczek1
1University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Physics, California 93106, USA.
Abstract:
We report the first rotationally resolved spectrum of a single polyatomic molecular ion in the gas phase. Building upon the recently developed inelastic recoil spectroscopy technique, we have increased spectral resolution by a factor ∼10 000; sufficient to observe resolved rotational-vibrational transitions of a single, trapped cyclopropenyl cation (c-C_{3}H_{3}^{+}). The precision and sensitivity of IRS shown in this work presents an attractive platform for astrochemistry, single molecule chiral detection, and tests of fundamental physics.
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