MOLECULAR STABILIZATION AND ANGULAR-DISTRIBUTION IN PHOTODISSOCIATIONOF H-2+ IN INTENSE LASER FIELDS

Photodissociation probabilities of the H-2- Molecule calculated from n umerical solutions of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation exhibit minima for high-intensity ( 10(12) < I < 10(14) W/cm2) subpicosecond ( 100 fs) laser-pulse excitation. These minima are shown to correspond t o stabilization of the molecular ion and hence to suppression of the p hotodissociation by the creation of stable laser-induced resonances by a laser-induced avoided-crossing mechanism between the field-molecule potentials. Rotational excitations are shown to destroy such stabiliz ation at intensities above 10(13) W/cm2. Angular distributions of the photofragments demonstrate gradual molecular alignment with increasing intensity. Bimodal distributions can also occur and they are the sign ature of the stabilization mechanism.