Selective infrared laser pulse control of H and CO branching in the ground-state photodissociation of HCo(CO)(4) - A two-dimensional model simulation

A straightforward scheme for controlling photodissociation using simple inf rared laser pulses is introduced. Starting from the vibrational ground stat e, the external field drives the coherent wave-packet motion into any of th e two possible exit channels of the title reaction. For the axial CO channe l it is shown that the dynamics can be understood in terms of a classical f orced Morse oscillator tuned close to resonance with the transition frequen cy to the first excited vibrational state. In the H exit channel quantum ef fects are rendering the classical picture inapplicable. For both channels a photodissociation yield of more than 90% could be achieved. (C) 1999 Elsev ier Science B.V. All rights reserved.