SuperdressedH2+andH32+molecular ions in intense, high-frequency laser fields

We study the radiative distortion of the lowest two potential surfaces of ${\mathrm{H}}_2^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{H}}_3^{2+}$ molecular ions in a superintense (I≳${10}^{16}$ W/${\mathrm{cm}}^2$), high-frequency, linearly polarized laser field, using the space-translation or acceleration representation of laser-matter interaction. The electron clouds undergo field-induced redistribution in the molecular ions due to the presence of field-induced ‘‘dichotomous’’ dressed Coulomb potentials. Such super-field-dressed systems have a greater tendency to transfer electronic charge into the region between the nuclei and hence become more ‘‘stable’’ than the field-free ones. For example, at the equilibrium nuclear separation the dissociation energy of the superdressed ${\mathrm{H}}_2^{+}$ is found to increase by about 20% compared with the field-free ${\mathrm{H}}_2^{+}$. More dramatically, the lowest two surfaces of ${\mathrm{H}}_3^{2+}$ that are repulsive in zero field become attractive (bonding) in the presence of an intense, high-frequency field. The possibility of molecules becoming stabilized against both ionization and dissociation in superintense fields is discussed.