Sound emission from the gas of molecular superrotors

Publication Type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2015
Authors
Alexander A. Milner
A. Korobenko
Milner, V.
Name of Publication
Optics Express
Volume
23
Issue
7
Date Published
03/2015
Start Page
8603
Type of Article
Journal article
Abstract

We use an optical centrifuge to deposit a controllable amount of rotational energy into dense molecular ensembles. Subsequent rotation translation energy transfer, mediated by thermal collisions, results in the localized heating of the gas and generates strong sound wave, clearly audible to the unaided ear. For the first time, the amplitude of the sound signal is analysed as a function of the experimentally measured rotational energy and linear proportionality between the two observables is established.