Abstract

When a molecule enters a laser field, a dipole moment is induced. The potential (Stark shift) resulting from the dipole-field interaction has a minimum at the position where the laser intensity is maximum. Since the force exerted on a molecule is given by the gradient of the potential, we expect that the molecule will be deflected toward the center in the case of the laser field with a Gaussian intensity distribution. This nonrcsonant dipole force was observed by deflecting a beam of CS₂ or I₂ molecules in the focused field of a l.06-μm Nd:YAG laser pulse (deflecting pulse).

© 1997 Optical Society of America