PICOSECOND ISOMERIZATION OF A LINEAR TRIATOMIC MOLECULE WITH 2 INTENSE INFRARED-LASER PULSES

A two-pulse method of rapid laser induced isomerization of a triatomic molecule is proposed. One laser pulse is resonant with the bending vi bration while the second pulse has its frequency close to the stretch mode frequency. Alternatively the second frequency can be set equal to the second harmonic of the first laser. Both lasers are linearly pola rized and their polarization vectors are perpendicular. We show from n umerical solutions of a two-dimensional, time-dependent Schrodinger eq uation, that such perpendicular combination of intense picosecond lase r pulses allows the system to follow the reaction path and thus leads to higher isomerization rates.