@article{PentlehnerNielsenSlenczkaetal.2013, author = {Pentlehner, Dominik and Nielsen, Jens H. and Slenczka, Alkwin and M{\o}lmer, Klaus and Stapelfeldt, Henrik}, title = {Impulsive Laser Induced Alignment of Molecules Dissolved in Helium Nanodroplets}, series = {Physical Review Letters}, journal = {Physical Review Letters}, number = {110}, year = {2013}, abstract = {We show that a 450 fs nonresonant, moderately intense, linearly polarized laser pulse can induce field-free molecular axis alignment of methyliodide (CH3I) molecules dissolved in a helium nanodroplet. Time-resolved measurements reveal rotational dynamics much slower than that of isolated molecules and absence of the sharp transient alignment recurrences characteristic of gas phase molecules. Our results presage a range of new opportunities for exploring both molecular dynamics in a dissipative environment and the properties of He nanodroplets.}, language = {en} }