Light-Induced Molecular Potentials

Abstract

We investigate the dissociation dynamics of molecules exposed to intense laser fields that induce electronic Rabi frequencies comparable to the frequency of nuclear vibration. A fast, mass selected beam of the simply structured model molecule ${\mathrm{Ar}}_{2}^{+}$ was prepared in low vibrational levels and crossed with a dye laser beam (532 nm, $\ensuremath{\le}5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{12}\mathrm{W}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$). The absolute number of photofragments has been measured as a function of intensity. A clear experimental signature of light-induced potential curves is observed: enhanced dissociation by tunneling through a light-induced potential barrier. This is deduced from a quantitative comparison with theoretical predictions.