Adaptive control of molecular alignment

We demonstrate control on nonadiabatic molecular alignment by using a spectrally phase-shaped laser pulse. An evolutionary algorithm in a closed feedback loop has been used in order to find pulse shapes that maximize a given effect. In particular, this scheme has been applied to the optimization of total alignment, and to the control of the temporal structure of the alignment transient within a revival. Asymmetric temporal pulse shapes have been found to be very effective for the latter and have been studied separately in a single-parameter control scheme. Our experimental results are supported by numerical simulations.