Laser-Induced Predissociation of Diatomic and Polyatomic Molecules by the Photo-Catalytic Effect

Abstract

Diatomic and polyatomic molecules in bound vibrational states of a stable electronic state may make transitions to the continuum vibrational (or dissociative) states of another less stable electronic state. This leads to dissociation of the bound molecule before reaching over the dissociation limit of the initial electronic state. Such predissociation processes occur in diatomic molecules and more frequently in polyatomic molecules [1]. See Fig. a for illustration of a configuration of potential curves leading to predissociation of molecules in rovibronic level Ev.