Methods of controlling molecular rotations using linearly polarized femtosecond and picosecond pulses are considered and analyzed theoretically. These laser pulses, typically in the infrared, are highly non-resonant with respect to the electronic degrees of freedom of the molecules and have intensities of &sim; 10^13 to 10^14 W/cm&sup2;. It is shown how these laser pulses can force small linear molecules to align with the direction of the electric field vector of the laser both in the presence of the laser field as well as after the application of a short laser pulse. Recent experiments on laser-induced molecular alignment are modeled and excellent agreement between experiment and theory is found. Additional methods of controlling molecular rotational dynamics are outlined. The first method considers the forced rotational acceleration of diatomic molecules, called the <i>optical centrifuge</i>. Here, the direction of polarization of a linearly polarized laser field is made to smoothly rotate faster and faster. The molecules, which tend to align with the polarization vector of the laser field, follow the rotation of the laser polarization and are accelerated to high angular momentum. The second method considers the control of field-free rotational dynamics by applying phase shifts to the molecular wave function at select times called <i>fractional revivals</i>. At these select moments, an initially localized wave function splits into several copies of the initial state. Adding phase shifts to the copies then induces interference effects which can be used to control the subsequent evolution of the rotational wave function. This same control scheme has a close link to quantum information and this connection is outlined. Finally, a recently proposed method of controlling the quantum dynamics of the classically chaotic kicked rotor system [J. Gong and P. Brumer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 1741 (2001)] is analyzed from a phase space perspective. It is shown that the proposed quantum control can be linked to small islands of stability in the classical phase space. An experimentally feasible variant of this control scenario using wave packets of molecular alignment is proposed. Two applications of molecular alignment are discussed. The first application uses field-free aligned molecules as a non-linear medium for compression of a laser pulse to the 1 fs regime at optical wavelengths. At such durations, these laser pulses contain nearly a single oscillation of the electric field and represent the shortest laser pulses physically achievable for such frequencies. The second application uses molecular alignment to create a sort of gas phase "molecular crystal" which forms a basis for laser-induced electron diffraction and imaging of the aligned molecules. Here, a first laser pulse aligns the molecules in space. A second laser pulse is then used to ionize outer-shell electrons, accelerate them in the laser field, and steer them back to collide with the parent ion creating a diffraction image with sub-femtosecond and sub-Angstrom resolution.

Methods of controlling molecular rotations using linearly polarized femtosecond and picosecond pulses are considered and analyzed theoretically. These laser pulses, typically in the infrared, are highly non-resonant with respect to the electronic degrees of freedom of the molecules and have intensities of &sim; 10^13 to 10^14 W/cm&sup2;. It is shown how these laser pulses can force small linear molecules to align with the direction of the electric field vector of the laser both in the presence of the laser field as well as after the application of a short laser pulse. Recent experiments on laser-induced molecular alignment are modeled and excellent agreement between experiment and theory is found. Additional methods of controlling molecular rotational dynamics are outlined. The first method considers the forced rotational acceleration of diatomic molecules, called the <i>optical centrifuge</i>. Here, the direction of polarization of a linearly polarized laser field is made to smoothly rotate faster and faster. The molecules, which tend to align with the polarization vector of the laser field, follow the rotation of the laser polarization and are accelerated to high angular momentum. The second method considers the control of field-free rotational dynamics by applying phase shifts to the molecular wave function at select times called <i>fractional revivals</i>. At these select moments, an initially localized wave function splits into several copies of the initial state. Adding phase shifts to the copies then induces interference effects which can be used to control the subsequent evolution of the rotational wave function. This same control scheme has a close link to quantum information and this connection is outlined. Finally, a recently proposed method of controlling the quantum dynamics of the classically chaotic kicked rotor system [J. Gong and P. Brumer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 1741 (2001)] is analyzed from a phase space perspective. It is shown that the proposed quantum control can be linked to small islands of stability in the classical phase space. An experimentally feasible variant of this control scenario using wave packets of molecular alignment is proposed. Two applications of molecular alignment are discussed. The first application uses field-free aligned molecules as a non-linear medium for compression of a laser pulse to the 1 fs regime at optical wavelengths. At such durations, these laser pulses contain nearly a single oscillation of the electric field and represent the shortest laser pulses physically achievable for such frequencies. The second application uses molecular alignment to create a sort of gas phase "molecular crystal" which forms a basis for laser-induced electron diffraction and imaging of the aligned molecules. Here, a first laser pulse aligns the molecules in space. A second laser pulse is then used to ionize outer-shell electrons, accelerate them in the laser field, and steer them back to collide with the parent ion creating a diffraction image with sub-femtosecond and sub-Angstrom resolution.

Esta tese apresenta uma nova aproximação variacional baseada no Método da Coordenada Geradora e na Teoria do Funcional da Densidade. Nesta nova aproximação, a função de onda de muitos corpos é representada como uma superposição de determinantes de Slater Kohn-Sham não-ortogonais calculados a partir de Hamiltonianos diferentes que carregam uma coordenada geradora atuando como parâmetro de deformação. A discretização integral sobre o conjunto de coordenadas geradoras fornece a energia total variacional do sistema e a contribuição de cada determinante na combinação da respectiva função de onda de muitos corpos. A flexibilidade desta nova metodologia permitiu aplicá-la no estudo das energias totais do estado fundamental e excitado dos átomos da série isoeletrônica do Hélio, utilizando diferentes conjuntos de coordenadas geradoras, diferentes aproximações para o potencial de troca e correlação e diferentes maneiras de implementar a coordenada geradora dentro do Hamiltoniano Kohn-Sham. Em seguida, as bases desta nova metodologia foram estendidas para o caso dependente do tempo, permitindo estudar, por exemplo, processos não-lineares como excitações duplas, conhecidas por sua forte dependência dos efeitos de memória. A nova metodologia foi aplicada no estudo das oscilações paramétricas de um sistema de dois elétron sob um potencial harmônico, o átomo de Hooke. Os resultados demonstram que a escolha adequada das coordenadas geradoras reproduz com precisão os efeitos lineares e não-lineares dos elétrons do sistema que não podem ser descritos pela Teoria do Funcional da Densidade Dependente do Tempo utilizando a aproximação adiabática. Assim, a nova metodologia mostra-se: flexível, pois permite calcular propriedades do estado fundamental e excitado, estáticas e dinâmicas dos sistemas eletrônicos fornecendo ainda uma aproximação variacional para as respectivas funções de onda de muitos corpos em todos os casos; e também viável, pois fornece resultados promissores no caso independente do tempo constituindo uma ferramenta simples e computacionalmente barata de incluir os efeitos de memória em qualquer aproximação adiabática no caso dependente do tempo. / A new variational approach based on the Generator Coordinate Method and Density- Functional Theory is presented. It represents the interacting many-body wave function as a superposition of non-orthogonal Kohn-Sham Slater determinants arising from different Hamiltonians featuring a generator coordinate acting as a deformation parameter. An integral discretization procedure over the set of generator coordinates provides the variational total energy of the system and the weight of each determinant in the approximation of the respective interacting many-body wave functions. The method was used to calculate the ground and excited state total energies of the Helium isoelectronic serie of atoms using different sets of generator coordinates, different approximations to the exchange-correlation potential and different implementations of the generator coordinate whithin the Kohn-Sham Hamiltonian. Next, the time dependent extension of the method is presented allowing its application, for example, on the study of nonlinear processess as double excitations which are known to be strongly dependent of the memory effects. As an illustration, the method is sucessfully applied to driven parametric oscillations of a two interacting electrons in a harmonic potential, the Hooke\'s atom. It is demonstrated that a proper choice of time-dependent generator coordinates in conjunction with the adiabatic local-density approximation reproduces the exact linear and nonlinear twoelectron dynamics quite accurately, including features associated with double excitations that cannot be captured by Time-Dependent Density-Functional Theory in the adiabatic approximation. Therefore, the method is considered, flexible since it allows to calculate ground and excited-states, static and dynamic properties of the electronic systems yeilding a variational approach to the interacting many-body wave functions for all cases, and feasible, since it improves the results for ground and excited-states total energies in the time-independente case, besides to be a conceptually and computationally simple tool to build memory effects into any existing adiabatic exchange-correlation potential in the time-dependent case.

Esta tese apresenta uma nova aproximação variacional baseada no Método da Coordenada Geradora e na Teoria do Funcional da Densidade. Nesta nova aproximação, a função de onda de muitos corpos é representada como uma superposição de determinantes de Slater Kohn-Sham não-ortogonais calculados a partir de Hamiltonianos diferentes que carregam uma coordenada geradora atuando como parâmetro de deformação. A discretização integral sobre o conjunto de coordenadas geradoras fornece a energia total variacional do sistema e a contribuição de cada determinante na combinação da respectiva função de onda de muitos corpos. A flexibilidade desta nova metodologia permitiu aplicá-la no estudo das energias totais do estado fundamental e excitado dos átomos da série isoeletrônica do Hélio, utilizando diferentes conjuntos de coordenadas geradoras, diferentes aproximações para o potencial de troca e correlação e diferentes maneiras de implementar a coordenada geradora dentro do Hamiltoniano Kohn-Sham. Em seguida, as bases desta nova metodologia foram estendidas para o caso dependente do tempo, permitindo estudar, por exemplo, processos não-lineares como excitações duplas, conhecidas por sua forte dependência dos efeitos de memória. A nova metodologia foi aplicada no estudo das oscilações paramétricas de um sistema de dois elétron sob um potencial harmônico, o átomo de Hooke. Os resultados demonstram que a escolha adequada das coordenadas geradoras reproduz com precisão os efeitos lineares e não-lineares dos elétrons do sistema que não podem ser descritos pela Teoria do Funcional da Densidade Dependente do Tempo utilizando a aproximação adiabática. Assim, a nova metodologia mostra-se: flexível, pois permite calcular propriedades do estado fundamental e excitado, estáticas e dinâmicas dos sistemas eletrônicos fornecendo ainda uma aproximação variacional para as respectivas funções de onda de muitos corpos em todos os casos; e também viável, pois fornece resultados promissores no caso independente do tempo constituindo uma ferramenta simples e computacionalmente barata de incluir os efeitos de memória em qualquer aproximação adiabática no caso dependente do tempo. / A new variational approach based on the Generator Coordinate Method and Density- Functional Theory is presented. It represents the interacting many-body wave function as a superposition of non-orthogonal Kohn-Sham Slater determinants arising from different Hamiltonians featuring a generator coordinate acting as a deformation parameter. An integral discretization procedure over the set of generator coordinates provides the variational total energy of the system and the weight of each determinant in the approximation of the respective interacting many-body wave functions. The method was used to calculate the ground and excited state total energies of the Helium isoelectronic serie of atoms using different sets of generator coordinates, different approximations to the exchange-correlation potential and different implementations of the generator coordinate whithin the Kohn-Sham Hamiltonian. Next, the time dependent extension of the method is presented allowing its application, for example, on the study of nonlinear processess as double excitations which are known to be strongly dependent of the memory effects. As an illustration, the method is sucessfully applied to driven parametric oscillations of a two interacting electrons in a harmonic potential, the Hooke\'s atom. It is demonstrated that a proper choice of time-dependent generator coordinates in conjunction with the adiabatic local-density approximation reproduces the exact linear and nonlinear twoelectron dynamics quite accurately, including features associated with double excitations that cannot be captured by Time-Dependent Density-Functional Theory in the adiabatic approximation. Therefore, the method is considered, flexible since it allows to calculate ground and excited-states, static and dynamic properties of the electronic systems yeilding a variational approach to the interacting many-body wave functions for all cases, and feasible, since it improves the results for ground and excited-states total energies in the time-independente case, besides to be a conceptually and computationally simple tool to build memory effects into any existing adiabatic exchange-correlation potential in the time-dependent case.

No description available.

Les interférences quantiques apparaissant lors de la superposition cohérente d'états quantiques de la matière sont à l'origine de la compréhension et du contrôle de nombreux processus élémentaires. Dans cette thèse, deux problèmes distincts, qui ont pour origine de tels effets, sont discutés avec leurs applications potentielles : 1. Diffraction électronique induite par Laser (LIED) et imagerie des orbitales moléculaires ; 2. Effets collectifs dans des vapeurs denses et transparence électromagnétique induite par interaction dipôle-dipôle (DIET). La première partie de cette thèse traite du mécanisme de recollision dans des molécules linéaires simples lorsque le système est exposé à un champ laser infrarouge de forte intensité. Cette interaction provoque une ionisation tunnel du système moléculaire, conduisant à la création d'un paquet d'ondes électronique dans le continuum. Ce paquet d'ondes suit une trajectoire oscillante, dirigée par le champ laser. Cela provoque une collision avec l'ion parent qui lui a donné naissance. Ce processus de diffraction peut être de nature inélastique, engendrant la génération d'harmoniques d'ordre élevé (HHG) ou l'ionisation double non-séquentielle, ou de nature élastique, processus que l'on appelle généralement « diffraction électronique induite par laser ». La LIED porte des informations sur la molécule et sur l'état initial à partir duquel les électrons sont arrachés sous forme de motifs de diffraction formés en raison de l'interférence entre différentes voies de diffraction. Dans ce projet, une méthode est développée pour l'imagerie des orbitales moléculaires, reposant sur des spectres de photo-électrons obtenus par LIED. Cette méthode est basée sur le fait que la fonction d'ondes du continuum conserve la mémoire de l'objet à partir duquel elle a été diffractée. Un modèle analytique basé sur l'approximation de champ fort (SFA) est développé pour des molécules simples linéaires et appliqué aux orbitales moléculaires HOMO et HOMO-1 du dioxyde de carbone. L'interprétation et l'extraction des informations orbitalaires imprimées dans les spectres de photo-électrons sont présentées en détail. Par ailleurs, nous estimons que ce type d'approche pourrait être étendu à l'imagerie de la dynamique électro-nucléaire de tels systèmes. La deuxième partie de cette thèse traite des effets collectifs dans des vapeurs atomiques ou moléculaires denses. L'action de la lumière sur ces gaz crée des dipôles induits qui oscillent et produisent des ondes électromagnétiques secondaires. Lorsque les particules constitutives du gaz sont assez proches, ces ondes secondaires peuvent coupler les dipôles induits entre-eux, et lorsque cette corrélation devient prépondérante la réponse du gaz devient une réponse collective. Ceci conduit à des effets spécifiques pour de tels systèmes, comme l'effet Dicke, la superradiance, et les décalages spectraux de Lorentz-Lorenz ou de Lamb. A cette liste d'effets collectifs, nous avons ajouté un effet de transparence induite dans l'échantillon. Cet effet collectif a été appelé « transparence électromagnétique induite par interaction dipôle-dipôle ». La nature collective de l'excitation du gaz dense réduit la vitesse de groupe de la lumière transmise à quelques dizaines de mètre par seconde, créant ainsi une lumière dite « lente ». Ces effets sont démontrés pour les transitions D1 du 85Rb et d'autres applications potentielles sont également discutées. / Quantum interference, coherent superposition of quantum states, are widely used for the understanding and engineering of the quantum world. In this thesis, two distinct problems that are rooted in quantum interference are discussed with their potential applications: 1. Laser induced electron diffraction (LIED) and molecular orbital imaging, 2. Collective effects in dense vapors and dipole induced electromagnetic transparency (DIET). The first part deals with the recollision mechanism in molecules when the system is exposed to high intensity infrared laser fields. The interaction with the intense field will tunnel ionize the system, creating an electron wave packet in the continuum. This wave packet follows an oscillatory trajectory driven by the laser field. This results in a collision with the parent ion from which the wave packet was formed. This scattering process can end up in different channels including either inelastic scattering resulting in high harmonic generation (HHG) and non-sequential double ionization, or elastic scattering often called laser induced electron diffraction. LIED carries information about the molecule and about the initial state from which the electron was born as diffraction patterns formed due to the interference between different diffraction pathways. In this project, a method is developed for imaging molecular orbitals relying on scattered photoelectron spectra obtained via LIED. It is based on the fact that the scattering wave function keeps the memory of the object from which it has been scattered. An analytical model based on the strong field approximation (SFA) is developed for linear molecules and applied to the HOMO and HOMO-1 molecular orbitals of carbon dioxide. Extraction of orbital information imprinted in the photoelectron spectra is presented in detail. It is anticipated that it could be extended to image the electro-nuclear dynamics of such systems. The second part of the thesis deals with collective effects in dense atomic or molecular vapors. The action of light on the vapor samples creates dipoles which oscillate and produce secondary electro-magnetic waves. When the constituent particles are close enough and exposed to a common exciting field, the induced dipoles can affect one another, setting up a correlation which forbids them from responding independently towards the external field. The result is a cooperative response leading to effects unique to such systems which include Dicke narrowing, superradiance, Lorentz-Lorenz and Lamb shifts. To this list of collective effects, one more candidate has been added, which is revealed during this study: an induced transparency in the sample. This transparency, induced by dipole-dipole interactions, is named “dipole-induced electromagnetic transparency”. The collective nature of the dense vapor excitation reduces the group velocity of the transmitted light to a few tens of meter per second resulting in 'slow' light. These effects are demonstrated for the D1 transitions of 85Rb and other potential applications are also discussed.