Control of Electron Localization in Molecular Dissociation

Abstract

We demonstrated how the subcycle evolution of the electric field of light can be used to control the motion of bound electrons. Results are presented for the dissociative ionization of deuterium molecules (D ₂ ⇒ D ⁺ + D), where asymmetric ejection of the ionic fragment reveals that light-driven intramolecular electronic motion before dissociation localizes the electron on one of the two D ⁺ ions in a controlled way. The results extend subfemtosecond electron control to molecules and provide evidence of its usefulness in controlling reaction dynamics.