Electron localization and nonadiabatic dynamics in laser driven $H_3^{2+}$

We study the laser driven dynamics of molecules with pairs of tightly coupled, nearly degenerate energy eigenstates using $H_3^{2+}$ and other single-active-electron molecules as model systems. In $H_2^+$, with nuclei fixed 7 a.u. apart, the dynamics of two nearly-degenerate energy eigenstates (the ground and first excited state) cause transient localization of the electron on each nucleus, which in turn results in multiple ionization bursts per cycle [1-2]. We present the results of similar calculations. For example, the first two excited states of $H_3^{2+}$ are also nearly-degenerate and closely coupled. Specifically, we reproduce the transient localization of the electron on the outer nuclei found in $H_2^{+}$, and study the effect of these states on charge resonance enhanced ionization (CREI). \\[4pt] [1] N. Takemoto and A. Becker, Phys. Rev. Lett \textbf{105}, 203004 (2010) \\[0pt] [2] N. Takemoto and A. Becker, Phys. Rev. A \textbf{84}, 023401 (2011)