CFEL Controlled Molecule Imaging Virtual Labtour

A principal research topic of our group is the control of isolated molecules in the gas-phase. This is highly useful, for instance, to image the molecules' structure and their chemical dynamics. The control of molecules can be divided in two areas: control of the external degrees of freedom, e.g., the molecules' position and orientation with respect to the laboratory frame; and the selective control of the molecules' internal properties, i.e., their quantum states.

Throughout the video, the small linear molecule carbonyl sulfide (OCS) will serve as an example molecule to visualize the hand-holds we have to gain control of molecules. The movie first gives a short introduction to our group and our lab, and explains what we mean with the term "controlled molecule". It then shows how molecules can be aligned and how the alignment can be measured. We also demonstrate how the different quantum states of molecules can be separated and selectively measured. The movie also puts our work into the context of the wide variety of photon science at DESY.

We hope that you enjoy the movie! We would like to recommend our scientific publication highlights to the interested viewer  as well as selected publications dealing with the benchmark molecule OCS as well as with complex molecules.