SPATIAL ASYMMETRY IN THE PHOTOFRAGMENTATION OF DIATOMIC-MOLECULES USING COHERENT CONTROL

A calculation of the spatial distribution of ion emission in the phase -controlled, two-color photodissociation of diatomic molecules in inte nse, low-frequency laser fields is presented. Using atomic orbitals, w e determine the time average of the electronic charge distribution at the critical internuclear separation, the point at which electron loca lization occurs. We find qualitative agreement with a recent experimen t with HD+, which shows asymmetry in the counterintuitive direction. W e predict that H-2(+) and lower frequencies will give even better agre ement.