Observation of multiphoton laser-induced collisions (A)

Yu. I. Heller

A. M. F. Lau

Dietrich Voslamber

J. C. White

The first known observation of a multiphoton-laser-induced inelastic collision is reported. During the collision of Ba and Tl ground-state atoms, two photons are absorbed, resulting in the simultaneous excitation of both atoms to excited states. The collisional absorption was maximized when the photon sum energy was equal to the sum energy of the excited atoms for infinite separation.

Keith R. Burnett, J. Cooper

N. K. Rahman, Carla Guidotti

Merging two subfields, collisions and spectroscopy, this book presents the latest research proposals, innovative experiments and fresh ideas. Topics considered include radiative collision induced electron continuum-continuum scattering; models of laser-induced chemical reactions; experimental studies of laser-induced ionizing collisions; laser photodissociation of Na/sub 2/ + ions produced by laser resonant ionization of Na vapor; steady-state electron-atom collision in a laser field; conditions for the observation of the predicted splitting of the laser assisted electron impact of the differential cross section of atoms; transitions between resonances; some proposals for experiments; above-threshold multiphoton ionization; observability of optical collisions in the frequency and the time domain; laser switched collisions - a diagrammatical approach; polarization of atomic fluorescence excited by molecular photodissociation; multiphoton selective excitation; on the role of chaotic dynamics with many basins of attraction; predissociation in a strong electromagnetic field; theory of double resonance; and coherent excitation of polyatomic molecules up to highly excited vibrational states by laser light.