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42959-AC6
Laser Induced Electron Diffraction (LIED) for Imaging Ultrafast Molecular Dynamics (UMD)

Andre D. Bandrauk, Universite de Sherbrooke

1. Executive Summary: Molecular Photonics-studying and using coherent light ,ie, photons to transmit ,manipulate and control molecular information by the laser control of matter at the molecular level has been developped by theoretical modelling and supercomputer simulations..In particular our theoretical and numerical studies of ther nonlinear nonperturbative response of molecules to intense ultrashort laser pulses has led to a new science-Attosecond Science-through the novel generation of attosecond pulses.This opens up new avenues for time-domain studies of imaging multielectron dynamics in atoms,molecules and solids on the natural time scale of the elctron (attosecond= 10-18 s) and at dimensions shorter than molecular scales,ie, sub-nanometer. Our research is leading to a revolution in our microscopic knowledge and understanding of matter by the ultimate imaging and subsequent control of the quantum wave nature of the electron itself inside molecules.

2. Research Results:(important contributions can be found marked by stars at my web page; http://pages.usherbrooke.ca/adbandrauk/)

i. Laser control of Transition States- we have prosed a method of increasing or decreasing transition state barriers in chemical reactions using short pulses .This has led to a new transition state theory for laser controlled reactions which did not exist before. A particular important finding has been that the polarizabibilty along the reaction path is maximum at the transition state thus suggesting a new method of "imaging" transition states thorugh nonlinear optical properties.with ultrashort intense laser pulses.

ii. Attosecond Electron Wave Packets-We have developped optimal control methods for generating attosecond pulses from molecules thus allowing for the creation,imaging and control of electron wavepackets in molecucles. This will be the basis of a new science-Attosecond Science.

iii. LCEI - LIED - LIET. We have propsed and developped LCEI(Laser Coulomb Explosion Imaging).LIED(Laser Induced Electron Diffraction) and most recenlty,LIET(Laser Induced Electron Transfer) as new tools for imaging ultrarapid nuclear and electron motion in molecules thus spawning new experimental methods for molecular imaging in laser science.

see http://pages.usherbrooke.ca/adbandrauk/

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