Optimal field-free molecular orientation with nonresonant two-color adiabatic-turn-on and sudden-turn-off laser pulses

Field-free molecular orientation, achieved by using two-color slow turn-on and rapid turn-off laser pulses, is theoretically investigated for linear molecules. We derive analytical results for the maximum degree of field-free orientation for a given number of populated rotational states. We show that numerical results with adiabatic-turn-on and sudden-turn-off laser pulses attain the optimal orientation. Based on the adiabatic theorem, the effects of laser and molecular parameters on both the adiabatic process and the degree of molecular orientation are analyzed. The adiabaticity is well reflected through the temporal evolution of the phase difference between two adjacent rotational states.