Controlling electron localization of H$_2^+$ by intense plasmon-enhanced laser fields

Abstract

We present a theoretical study of the wave packet dynamics of the H$_2^+$ molecular ion in plasmon-enhanced laser fields. Such fields may be produced, for instance, when metallic nano-structures are illuminated by a laser pulse of moderated intensity. Their main property is that they vary in space on nanometer scales. We demonstrate that the spatial inhomogeneous character of these plasmonic fields leads to an enhancement of electron localization, an instrumental phenomenon that controls molecular fragmentation. We suggest that the charge-imbalance induced by the surface-plasmon resonance near the metallic nano-structures is the origin of the increase in the electron localization.