Ultrafast control of Raman transitions using frequency combs: Prevention of decoherence

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)资助的。该项目致力于光学频率梳与分子相互作用的理论研究。将研究双光子拉曼跃迁的激发，由两个锁相的脉冲串诱导，也由制作的飞秒脉冲串诱导。考虑到退相干的影响，我们将研究选择性激发预定的拉曼跃迁的可能性。其目的是深入了解脉冲串与物质相互作用的机制，了解控制分子状态时间演化的因素，并开发存在快速退相干的分子动力学的新控制方法。这些研究将通过发现基于频率梳与分子相互作用的新的量子控制机制来推动现代超快控制方法的发展，这些结果将拓宽量子控制应用的领域，从分子物种检测到成像技术到量子门。研究生将参与开发理论模型、编程、收集和解释数值计算的数据。研究成果将被纳入《量子控制方法》课程的研究生课程材料中。选修本课程的学生将学习基于激光技术最新发展的先进量子控制方法。研究经验和课程学习将为他们的职业发展拓宽机会。将开始与史蒂文斯理工学院物理系内的实验小组合作，旨在探索实现实验的新方法的可能性。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The project is devoted to theoretical studies of optical frequency comb interaction with molecules. The excitation of two-photon Raman transitions will be investigated, induced by two pulse trains with locked phase, and also by crafted femtosecond pulse trains. Possibilities of selective excitation of predetermined Raman transitions will be investigated, taking into account effects of decoherence. The objectives are to gain insight into the mechanisms of pulse train interactions with matter, to learn about factors that govern molecular state time evolution, and to develop new control methods of molecular dynamics in the presence of fast decoherence. The investigations will advance modern ultrafast control methods through discovery of new quantum control mechanisms based on frequency comb interaction with molecules.These results will broaden areas of quantum control applications, from detection of molecular species to imaging techniques to quantum gates. Graduate students will get involved in the development of theoretical models, programming, collecting and interpreting data of numerical calculations. The research results will be incorporated into graduate course material of a course "Methods of Quantum Control". Students enrolled in this course will learn about advanced quantum control methods, based on latest developments of laser technologies. The research experience and the course study will broaden the opportunities for their career development. Collaboration with experimental groups within the Department of Physics at Stevens Institute of Technology will be initiated, aiming at exploring possibilities of new methods of experimental realization.