Localization of electronic wave packets in H2

Abstract

We demonstrate localization of electronic wave packets in the coupled channels of rotating and vibrating H2 molecules using phase-shaped excitation pulses. The dynamics of Rydberg wave packets and their controlled preparation has been studied in detail in hydrogenic systems. We report here on a more general situation, where the strong channel couplings require full shaping of the optical phase, rather than a linear or quadratic chirp which is often sufficient in hydrogenic systems, or sequences of pulses which can be applied to uncoupled Rydberg series. The complex excitation functions for the shaped pulses are calculated and illustrate the longer duration and the complicated transients of the excitation process compared to excitation by an unshaped reference pulse.