Abstract

We present a theoretical description of the dynamics of vibrational wave packets in the 1g state of Xe2. As an illustration, a simulation of a picosecond pump excitation-probe ionization laser experiment is carried out. The initial wavepacket is calculated using an explicit modelling of the short-pulse excitation process and propagated for up to 160 picoseconds. Evidence of fractional and full revivals of the wavepacket has been found and analyzed. The time delayed ionization signal is simulated using first order perturbation theory and shows clear oscillations corresponding to the temporal development of the wavepacket.