DISSIPATIVE CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM DYNAMICS: THE MORSE OSCILLATOR

We review progresses made in the applications of nonlinear dynamical techniques to the studies of IR multiphoton excitation of molecules in contact with a bath. An overall picture emerges by approaching this problem from the classical, semiclassical and quantum mechanical points of view, although differences exist among the results of these three approaches. Possible experimental tests of the bistable and chaotic behavior and remaining questions are discussed.