PUMP-DUMP COHERENT CONTROL WITH PARTIALLY COHERENT LASER-PULSES

The theory of coherent control of photodissociation with partially coh erent laser pulses is developed and applied to the pump-dump control s cenario of a collinear model of DH2. The coherence characteristics of the pump pulse are shown to be crucial for maintaining control over th e product yield, whereas the coherence properties of the dump pulse ar e only of secondary importance. Control is shown to survive for partia lly coherent laser pulses, but only for a range of incoherence which p recludes control with typical nanosecond pulsed dye lasers. (C) 1996 A merican Institute of Physics.