Enhanced ionization of the molecular ion H-2(+) in intense laser and static magnetic fields - art. no. 053406

The three-dimensional time-dependent Schrodinger equation is solved exactly for the H-2(+) molecular ion as a function of internuclear distance R in a short intense laser field pulse and a static magnetic field, parallel to t he internuclear axis, using a numerical integration method. Previous calcul ations of laser-induced ionization in this ion for zero magnetic field [Phy s. Rev. A 48, 3837 (1993); 52, 2511 (1995)] demonstrated the phenomenon of charge-resonance-enhanced ionization (CREI) at critical distances R-c, due to Stark displacements of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) ab ove internal proton Coulomb and static laser field barriers. The presence o f the magnetic field allows for controlling the energy displacements of the LUMO and consequently control of CREI, thus confirming CREI asa quasistati c electron tunneling process in the nonsymmetric double-well potential crea ted by protons and a laser field.