Eur. Phys. J. D 34, 145-150 (2005)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2005-00105-x

Dynamics of orientations in an ensemble of Na₇⁺ clusters

¹ Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Erlangen, Staudtstrasse 7, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
² Laboratoire de Physique Théorique, Université P. Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex, France

Corresponding author: ^a suraud@irsamc.ups-tlse.fr

Received: 6 September 2004
Published online: 13 July 2005

Abstract

We investigate from a theoretical perspective a possible pump and probe scenario for analyzing the rotational motion of free deformed metal clusters considering as test case an ensemble of Na clusters. To that end, we develop a simple classical model for the orientational dynamics and rate equations for the ionizing effect of laser pulses. The model parameters are determined microscopically by time-dependent density functional theory for the cluster electrons and a detailed description of the cluster ions by local pseudo-potentials. We find that pump and probe analysis can very well resolve the rotational motion provided that the laser parameters are properly tuned to the Me surface plasmon of the given sample. Moreover, we see that the laser pulses burn a hole into the distribution of orientations. Stroboscopic repetition of pulses will allow to produce an ensemble clusters oriented in a direction perpendicular to the laser polarization axis.