Selective dissociation of the stronger bond in HCN using an optical centrifuge

Using the example of the HCN molecule, we study theoretically the possibility of selectively breaking the stronger bond in a triatomic molecule by rotationally accelerating it in an optical centrifuge using a combination of two oppositely chirped and counter-rotating strong laser fields. In our simulation the resultant field forces rotational acceleration of the HCN molecule to a point where the centrifugal force between the two heavy atoms (C and N) exceeds the strength of their (triple) bond. The effects of bending, rovibrational coupling, and the Coriolis force, which conspire to prevent the molecule from rotational dissociation into HC + N, can be efficiently counteracted by simple optimization of the frequency chirp.