Phase-sensitive wave-packet dynamics caused by a breakdown of the rotating-wave approximation

The water dimer driven by strong infrared field is studied in the two-vibrational mode approximation. A pump pulse excites the OH vibrational modes and creates a coherent superposition of vibrational states of the low-frequency OO mode. The solution of the Schrodinger equation in the adiabatic approximation shows a strong sensitivity of the OO vibrational wave-packet dynamics to the absolute phase of the pump field. This effect appears due to a break down of the rotating-wave approximation when the Rabi frequency of the OH vibrational transition approaches the frequency of the OH mode. The violation of the rotating wave approximation modifies considerably the interaction of the probe radiation with the laser-driven molecule.