Three dimensional alignment of molecules using elliptically polarized laser fields

We demonstrate, theoretically and experimentally, that an intense, elliptic ally polarized, nonresonant laser field can simultaneously force all three axes of a molecule to align along given axes fixed in space, thus inhibitin g the free rotation in all three Euler angles. Theoretically, the effect is illustrated through time dependent quantum mechanical calculations. Experi mentally, 3,4-dibromothiophene molecules are aligned with a nanosecond lase r pulse. The alignment is probed by 2D ion imaging of the fragments from a 20 fs laser pulse induced Coulomb explosion.