Molecular Beam Laboratory
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Research
Control Of Fragmentation Of Molecular Complexes
The work is aimed at exploring novel approaches for tackling one of the longest standing fundamental problems of physics and chemistry, namely the control of bimolecular fragmentation processes, though it is clear that years of work must be invested before practicable approaches can be proposed. At present stage the studies concentrate on the following tasks:
  • studies of the formation of highly excited molecular complexes (associative ionisation) with controlled excitation of the internal and external degrees of freedom;
  • development of the stochastic theory of complex formation including formulation of a general correspondence rule between multiple level crossings and overlapping nonlinear dynamic resonances, and assessment of the regions of regular and chaotic dynamics;
  • experiments on fragmentation of molecule-atom complexes with multiple exit channels using laser manipulation.
  • development of a theoretical description of the stochastic phenomena in unimolecular and bimolecular fragmentation.

Laser Manipulation Of Molecular States
The studies support the research on fragmentation of molecular complexes, as they must provide practical approaches for efficient, selective, and coherent excitation of highly excited molecular quantum states. The studies include characterisation of interactions of molecular double resonance schemes (open 3-level systems) with strong coherent radiation fields. Some practical applications, like development of approaches for exploitation of ac Stark effect for in-situ characterisation of electromagnetic radiation fields, are also being explored.

Task D. Stochastic Porcesses Involving Photons And Electrons
The stochastic phenomena are widespread in the nature, and so they are also in the research field of chemical physics. It is therefore important and interesting to understand the expressions of the stochastic dynamics in a variety of instances. In particular, we consider the following problems:
  • stochastic phenomena in two-body processes in thermal Rydberg gases;
  • binary and multiple collisions of Rydberg atoms and damping of coherence, and existence of metastable Rydberg states;
  • many body effects in energy transfer in Rydberg gases;
  • experiments and theoretical modelling of imprisonment of radiation in atomic gases and their implementation for diagnostic purposes;
  • description of time-dependent radiative energy transfer, non-linear effects, and broadening of spectral profiles of re-emitted photons due to stochastic effects.