December 12, 2012

Ultra-short laser pulses control chemical processes




How can molecules be split in a controlled manner? A new experiment at the TU Vienna shows how research into ultra-short laser pulses can be combined with chemistry

Chemical reactions occur so quickly that it is completely impossible to observe their progress or to control them using conventional methods. However, new developments in electrical engineering and quantum technology enable us to achieve a more exact understanding and improved control of the behaviour of atoms and molecules. At the TU Vienna, scientists have succeeded in influencing the splitting of large molecules with up to ten atoms using ultra-short laser pulses.