Vibrationally state-selective electronic excitation of diatomic molecules by ultrashort laser pulses

Abstract

Vibrationally state-selective complete population transfer from the ground electronic state to the excited electronic state is demonstrated on a femtosecond time scale for the ${X}^{2}\ensuremath{\Pi}$ and ${A}^{2}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{+}$ states of the OH molecule by means of computer simulation within the Schr\"odinger wave-function formalism. State-selective population transfer within the excited electronic state ${A}^{2}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{+}$ of OH is demonstrated as well. These processes are controlled by shaped linearly polarized femtosecond laser pulses in the ultraviolet and in the infrared region, correspondingly, with the probability of the population transfer being close to 100%.