Wave packet simulations for molecular orientation induced by circularly polarized light: Toward chiral resolution in the gas phase

Highlights: • Calculations show circularly polarized light can orient molecules. • Dissociation of oriented molecules may result in the selection of enantiomer. • Spatial and time-reversal symmetry restrict the observation method of this phenomenon. We have theoretically examined effects of circularly polarized light on the molecular orientation in the gas phase. It was demonstrated that periodic orientation is induced by rotational quantum beats. The role of circularly polarized light can be explained as rotating aligned molecules. When a transition dipole moment has components of the same magnitude for two principal axes, the orientation of the other axis reaches a maximum value at low temperatures. This orientation could be used as a means of light-driven chiral resolution, and hence having potential importance for chemical and medical applications.