2-PULSE COHERENT CONTROL OF ELECTRONIC BRANCHING IN LI-2 PHOTODISSOCIATION

Control over the product branching ratio in the photodissociation of L i-2 into Li(2s)+Li(2p) and Li(2s)+Li(3p) channels is explored computat ionally using the pump-pump coherent control scenario. Extensive contr ol over the Li(3p)/Li(2p) branching ratio is demonstrated as the delay time between the two pulses is varied. The pulse width dependence is examined and better control is found to result from a narrow pump puls e which excites a superposition of only two levels, followed by a broa d dissociation pulse. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9 606(98)01707-3].