Control of alignment dynamics of asymmetric top molecules

We introduce a new tool to control the nonadiabatic alignment dynamics in asymmetric top molecules. Alignment is induced using nonresonant, linearly polarized laser pulses with pulse durations that are short compared to the rotational periods of the molecule. Through a series of nonresonant Raman transitions a rotational wave packet is created. It is concluded with an interesting connection between the duration of the alignment pulse and the wave packet dynamics, providing a new tool to transform the non-periodic revival structure of an asymmetric top, into stable periodic rotations about the C-axis of the molecule. The experimentally observed features are also reproduced qualitatively in numerical simulations.