Control of Electron Motion in a Molecular Ion: Dynamical Creation of a Permanent Electric Dipole

Abstract

The dynamics of a diatomic one-dimensional homonuclear molecule driven by a two-laser field is investigated beyond the usual fixed nuclei approximation. The dynamics of the nuclei is treated by means of Newton equations of motion; the full quantum description is used for the single active electron. The first laser pulse (pump) excites vibrations of the nuclei, while the second very short pulse (probe) has the role of confining the electron around one of the nuclei. We show how to use the radiation scattered in these conditions by the molecule to achieve real-time control of the molecular dynamics.