Manipulating the torsion of molecules by strong laser pulses

The manipulation of molecules by strong laser pulses has attracted much attention. Specifically, non-resonant laser fields apply torques on molecules, due to the interaction between the induced dipole moment and the laser field itself. This induced polarizability interaction has proven very useful for controlling the alignment of molecules with respect to the laser polarization. I will present the first efforts made to extend the methods of alignment to manipulating the torsion in a molecule. I will consider the laser induced dynamics of the two phenyl rings of a biphenyl molecule. The present work demonstrates that strong-field laser physics methods and time-resolved measurements are not limited to small linear molecules, but can actually be useful for studying exciting fundamental phenomena in larger complex systems. I will show both experimental and theoretical results.