Real-time observation of phase-controlled molecular wave-packet interference

Phys Rev Lett. 2006 Mar 10;96(9):093002. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.093002. Epub 2006 Mar 6.

Abstract

The quantum interference of two molecular wave packets has been precisely controlled in the B electronic state of the I2 molecule by using a pair of fs laser pulses whose relative phase is locked within the attosecond time scale and its real-time evolution has been observed by another fs laser pulse. It is clearly observed that the temporal evolution changes drastically as a function of the relative phase between the locked pulses, allowing us to read both amplitude and phase information stored in the wave functions of the molecular ensemble.