The present thesis is devoted to two major atmospheric species – water and oxygen. The absorption spectrum of the 1Delta band of six oxygen isotopologues near was recorded by very high sensitivity CW-CRDS at room temperature and at 80 K. The magnetic dipole-allowed (0-0) band is observed for 16O2, 16O18O, 16O17O, 17O18O, 18O2 and 17O2. The first laboratory detection of extremely weak quadrupole transitions in the (0-0) band of 18O2, 16O17O, 17O2 is reported together with the (1-1) hot band of 16O2, 18O2, 16O17O and 17O2. The partly resolved hyperfine structure of the 16O17O, 17O18O, 17O2 transitions is analysed. These measurements combined with microwave and Raman data available in the literature led to the determination of the best to date spectroscopic constants for the six oxygen isotopologues, including the 17O hyperfine coupling parameters for the 1Delta state. The high resolution absorption spectra of water isotopologues (D216O, HD16O and H218O) were recorded by ICLAS and FTS in the 8800–14100 cm-1 region. The spectrum analysis based on high accuracy variational calculations provided a considerable amount of new energy levels for each of the isotopologues under consideration. The experimental energy levels derived in this study and available in the literature allowed calculating the line positions at the level of experimental accuracy in the 6100–15200 cm-1 region that extends much further the range of the present recordings. / Cette thèse est consacrée à deux espèces atmosphériques majeures: la vapeur d'eau et l'oxygène. Le spectre d'absorption de la bande 1Delta des six isotopologues de l'oxygène vers 1.27 micron a été enregistré à température ambiante et à 80 K par la technique CW-CRDS de très haute sensibilité. La bande (0-0) permise par le dipôle magnétique est observée pour les espèces 16O2, 16O18O, 16O17O, 17O18O, 18O2 et 17O2. La sensibilité expérimentale atteinte a permis de détecter pour la première fois au laboratoire (i) des transitions quadrupolaires électriques extrêmement faibles dans la bande (0-0) de 18O2, 16O17O et 17O2, (ii) la bande chaude (1-1) de 16O2, 18O2, 16O17O et 17O2 (iii) la structure hyperfine des transitions de 16O17O, 17O18O et 17O2. Ces mesures combinées avec des données micro-ondes et Raman disponibles dans la littérature ont permis de déterminer les meilleures constantes spectroscopiques à ce jour, y compris les paramètres de couplage hyperfin de 17O pour l'état 1Delta des six isotopologues de l'oxygène. Les spectres d'absorption à très haute résolution des isotopologues D216O, HD16O et H218O de la vapeur d'eau ont été enregistrés par ICLAS et FTS entre 8800 et 14100 cm-1. L'analyse du spectre basée sur les calculs variationnels de haute précision a fourni une quantité importante de nouveaux niveaux d'énergie pour chacun des isotopologues considérés. Les niveaux d'énergie expérimentaux obtenus dans cette étude et disponibles dans la littérature ont permis de calculer des positions de raies au niveau de la précision expérimentale dans la gamme 6100-15200 cm-1 qui s'étend bien au-delà de la gamme des enregistrements présents.

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / (**Note: this abstract is a plain text version of the author's abstract, the original of which contains characters and symbols which cannot be accurately represented in this format. The properly formatted abstract can be viewed in the Abstract and Thesis files above.**) The electronic structure and rovibrational spectroscopy of MH2, MHn+2, HMHen+ and MHen+2 (M = Li, Be, Na, Mg, K, Ca; n = 1, 2) have been investigated using correlated ab initio ansatz. In order to determine the efficacy of various electronic structure methods with respect to Group-I and II hydrides and helides, atomic properties of Li, Be,Na, Mg, K and Ca were calculated. Relativistically-corrected UCCSD(T) and ICMRCI(+Q) were deemed to be the most suitable ansatz with respect to both efficiency and accuracy. The lowest 2A1 and 2Σ- states of MH2 were found to be purely repulsive, in agreement with previous predictions. The main factor determining the structure and stability of the excited states of MH2 was the relative orientations and occupations of the valence p atomic orbital of M and the H2 1Ou orbital. The ground states of MHn+2 were found to be the result of the charge-quadrupole interaction between Mn+ and the H2 molecular subunit. The structures of the ground states of HMHe+ were extremely uxional with respect to the central bond angle co-ordinate. The ground state PESs of MHe+2 were also extremely sensitive to the ab initio ansatz by which they are modelled. The respective bonding of the H and He in both HMHe+ and HMHe2+ appeared to be charge-dependent in the case of Be, Mg and Ca. Despite the weak bonding observed for the Group-II hydrohelide and helide monocations, the corresponding dications each exhibit thermodynamically stable equilibria. The solution algorithm of von Nagy-Felsobuki and co-workers was employed in the calculation of vibrational and rovibrational spectra. This algorithm employed an Eckart-Watson Hamiltonian in conjunction with rectilinear normal co-ordinates. Vibrational and rovibrational Hamiltonian matrices were diagonalised using variational methods. This algorithm was extended so that the vibration transition moment integrals, and hence vibrational radiative properties, of linear triatomic molecules could be calculated. A method by which vibration-averaged structures are calculated was also developed and implemented. Analytical potential energy functions (PEFs) and dipole moment functions (DMFs) of (1A1)LiH+2, (1A1)NaH+2, (1A1)BeH2+2,(1A1)MgH2+2, (1Σ+g )BeHe2+2, (2Σ+)HBeHe2+, (1Σ+g )MgHe2+2 and (2Σ+)HMgHe2+ were developed using leastsquare regression techniques in conjunction with discrete ab initio grids. Vibrational structures and spectra of these species were subsequently calculated. In addition, the rovibrational spectra of (1A1)LiH+2, (1A1)NaH+2, (1A1)BeH2+2 and (1A1)MgH2+2 were calculated. For (1A1)LiH+2 and (1A1)LiD+2 , calculated rovibrational transition frequencies for J ≤ 10 and 0 ≤ K ≤ 3 were within ca. 0.1-0.2% of experimental values.

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / (**Note: this abstract is a plain text version of the author's abstract, the original of which contains characters and symbols which cannot be accurately represented in this format. The properly formatted abstract can be viewed in the Abstract and Thesis files above.**) The electronic structure and rovibrational spectroscopy of MH2, MHn+2, HMHen+ and MHen+2 (M = Li, Be, Na, Mg, K, Ca; n = 1, 2) have been investigated using correlated ab initio ansatz. In order to determine the efficacy of various electronic structure methods with respect to Group-I and II hydrides and helides, atomic properties of Li, Be,Na, Mg, K and Ca were calculated. Relativistically-corrected UCCSD(T) and ICMRCI(+Q) were deemed to be the most suitable ansatz with respect to both efficiency and accuracy. The lowest 2A1 and 2Σ- states of MH2 were found to be purely repulsive, in agreement with previous predictions. The main factor determining the structure and stability of the excited states of MH2 was the relative orientations and occupations of the valence p atomic orbital of M and the H2 1Ou orbital. The ground states of MHn+2 were found to be the result of the charge-quadrupole interaction between Mn+ and the H2 molecular subunit. The structures of the ground states of HMHe+ were extremely uxional with respect to the central bond angle co-ordinate. The ground state PESs of MHe+2 were also extremely sensitive to the ab initio ansatz by which they are modelled. The respective bonding of the H and He in both HMHe+ and HMHe2+ appeared to be charge-dependent in the case of Be, Mg and Ca. Despite the weak bonding observed for the Group-II hydrohelide and helide monocations, the corresponding dications each exhibit thermodynamically stable equilibria. The solution algorithm of von Nagy-Felsobuki and co-workers was employed in the calculation of vibrational and rovibrational spectra. This algorithm employed an Eckart-Watson Hamiltonian in conjunction with rectilinear normal co-ordinates. Vibrational and rovibrational Hamiltonian matrices were diagonalised using variational methods. This algorithm was extended so that the vibration transition moment integrals, and hence vibrational radiative properties, of linear triatomic molecules could be calculated. A method by which vibration-averaged structures are calculated was also developed and implemented. Analytical potential energy functions (PEFs) and dipole moment functions (DMFs) of (1A1)LiH+2, (1A1)NaH+2, (1A1)BeH2+2,(1A1)MgH2+2, (1Σ+g )BeHe2+2, (2Σ+)HBeHe2+, (1Σ+g )MgHe2+2 and (2Σ+)HMgHe2+ were developed using leastsquare regression techniques in conjunction with discrete ab initio grids. Vibrational structures and spectra of these species were subsequently calculated. In addition, the rovibrational spectra of (1A1)LiH+2, (1A1)NaH+2, (1A1)BeH2+2 and (1A1)MgH2+2 were calculated. For (1A1)LiH+2 and (1A1)LiD+2 , calculated rovibrational transition frequencies for J ≤ 10 and 0 ≤ K ≤ 3 were within ca. 0.1-0.2% of experimental values.

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Cette thèse traite du contrôle et de la caractérisation de l'alignement et de l'orientation du point de vue théorique et expérimental. L'alignement d'une molécule linéaire consiste à obtenir une probabilité élevée de localisation de l'axe internucléaire symétrique autour de l'axe de polarisation du champ tandis que l'orientation privilégie un sens particulier le long du champ. L'orientation à l'aide d'impulsions bi couleur (2+1) non résonnantes est étudiée en détail et les conditions permettant d'obtenir une orientation efficace sont examinées. Un schéma bi couleur où la deuxième harmonique est en quasi-résonance avec un niveau vibrationnel de la molécule est également étudié. Cette technique présente l'avantage d'offrir un paramètre supplémentaire à savoir l'écart à la résonance qui peut être ajusté de manière à optimiser l'orientation moléculaire. Finalement une nouvelle technique expérimentale de détection de l'alignement moléculaire est présentée. Celle-ci permet une détection monocoup de l'alignement moléculaire sur une étendue temporelle jusqu'alors inégalée. / This thesis is about the control and characterisation of the alignment and orientation of molecules by ultra short laser pulses on a theoretical and experimental approach. Alignment corresponds to a symmetric angular distribution of the molecular axis peaked along the laser field axis, whereas orientation provides an asymmetric distribution favouring one spatial direction. Orientation by sudden two-colour (2+1) pulses is studied extensively for the non resonant case and conditions required for achieving significant orientation are explored. A second two-colour scheme, where the second harmonic is in quasi resonance with a vibrational level of the molecule, is also presented and discussed. The last technique has the advantage to offer the detuning of the laser frequency as an additional free parameter, which can be adjusted to enhance molecular orientation. A new experimental polarization imaging 2D technique for the detection alignment is also developed. Experimental results on single shot detection of molecular alignment achieved over an unprecedented temporal span are presented.