Wave-packet interference and stabilization of a predissociating molecule

We investigate the wave-packet dynamics in a diatomic molecule which decays via electronic predissociation. It is shown that the amplitudes corresponding to different pathways in a model curve-crossing system can interfere constructively so that the dissociation channel becomes closed and the molecule is stabilized. The possibility of observing this effect is discussed for femtosecond excitation of the NaI molecule.