Optical Centrifuge for Molecules

Strong infrared fields can be used for controlled spinning of molecules to very high angular momentum states. The angular momentum acquired can be sufficient to break molecular bonds. The approach is suitable for all anisotropic molecules, and we illustrate it by dissociating a homonuclear diatomic ${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$, with optical centrifuge efficiently separating ${\mathrm{Cl}}^{35}$ and ${\mathrm{Cl}}^{37}$ isotopes and thus demonstrating high sensitivity to the moment of inertia.