Two-color coherent control ofH2+photodissociation in intense laser fields

We study the multiphoton dissociation of ${\mathrm{H}}_2^{+}$ by a coherent superposition of an intense short pulsed laser radiation and one of its harmonics (second or third), in a phase-locked regime. We show that the total dissociation probability, the energy distribution, and the direction of ejection of the protons are very sensitive to the relative phase of the two radiations. A high degree of control may thus be achieved for the branching ratio between dissociation via bond-softening and above-threshold dissociation, in the realm of current experimental capabilities.