Spectroscopy and Dynamics of Molecular Hydrogen in AN External Electric Field.

The spectroscopy and decay dynamics of highly excited Rydberg states of molecular hydrogen in an external electric field are systematically studied. Laser multiphoton excitation and ionization, and time-of-flight mass spectrometry techniques are used to detect the ionization and dissociation products separately and simultaneously. High resolution Stark spectra for both ionization and dissociation channels are acquired for electric fields in both weak and strong regimes, and for different rotational and vibrational core states. The experimental results are compared to an energy matrix diagonalization model with and without inclusion of decay dynamics, and quantum defect Stark theory. The results of this thesis provide important information for the understanding of the detailed decay dynamics of highly excited Rydberg Stark states of rm H_2. .