Quasi-Coherent Molecular Vibrations with Energies above the Dissociation Threshold in the Ground Electronic State

J. Phys. Chem. A, 102 (23), 4271 -4276, 1998. jp980213z S1089-5639(98)00213-8
Web Release Date: March 20, 1998

Quasi-Coherent Molecular Vibrations with Energies above the Dissociation Threshold in the Ground Electronic State

J. Manz, M. Oppel,* and G. K. Paramonov

Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Freie Universität Berlin, WE 3, Takustrasse 3, D-14195 Berlin, Germany

Received: November 14, 1997

In Final Form: January 30, 1998

Abstract:

Selective infrared laser pulses in the femtosecond (fs) time domain may be used to prepare quasi-coherent molecular vibrations in the dissociative continuum of the ground electronic state. These vibrations may be monitored by femtosecond IR+UV pump-probe spectroscopy. The new phenomenon is discovered by means of molecular wave-packet simulations for a two-dimensional model based on ab initio potential-energy surfaces and dipole functions for HONO₂.