MOLECULAR CONTROL USING DC ELECTRIC-FIELDS - QUENCHING OF THE TUNNELING IN HF DIMER

High resolution, optothermal infrared spectra have been obtained for t he HF dimer in a uniform de electric field, varying in strength from 0 -150 kV/cm. These fields not only serve to orient the molecules in the space fixed frame, but also to quench the tunneling motion that is no rmally characteristic of the HF dimer. This is attributed to the fact that the electric field makes the double well tunneling problem asymme tric in the limit that the molecules are well oriented. A simple 1-D m odel is used to qualitatively explain the results.