Introduction

The prospect of exploiting quantum interference to direct the outcome of a chemical reaction is known as coherent control. Over the last twenty years or so, many schemes to exploit the coherence property of laser light have been proposed to exert such control over molecules, and in the last decade or so these have become realisable through advances in laser and pulse shaping technology. Many practical demonstrations of molecular coherent control, with applications ranging from laser cooling of molecules to chemically selective bond breaking or the generation of coherent x-ray light through high harmonic generation, have been made.

We now also know that many photochemical reactions of fundamental importance in biology appear to exploit quantum coherence in order to transfer energy efficiently to do work rather than dissipate the energy as heat. 

This meeting aims to assess recent progress in our general understanding of coherence and control in chemistry and to define new avenues for future research

Aims

Faraday Discussion 153 aims to build on the achievements of a previous discussion held over 10 years ago in Leeds (FD113) which defined many areas of current activity in the field of molecular reaction dynamics and coherent control. 

The current meeting will bring together experimentalists and theoreticians working in all areas of physics and chemistry who have an interest in probing and controlling chemical interactions at the quantum resolved level with the aim of defining the future challenges in the field.

Themes

• Electronic coherence in biological supramolecular assemblies
• Non-adiabatic interactions and molecular coherent control 
• Strategies for coherent control 
• Applications of coherent control
• Strong-field high harmonic generation and alignment control

Co-sponsor

We would like to thank the Institute of Physics Molecular Physics Group and the Quantum Optics, Quantum Information and Quantum Control Group for their co-sponsorship support of Faraday Discussion 153.

 

Scientific Committee

Ben Whitaker (University of Leeds, UK) (Chair)
Regina de Vivie-Riedle (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen, Germany)
Thomas Weinacht (SUNY Stony Brook, USA)
Helen Fielding (University College London, UK)
Mike Bearpark (Imperial College London, UK)