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Clocking enhanced ionization of hydrogen molecules with rotational wave packets

From National Research Council Canada

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DOIResolve DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.173201
AuthorSearch for: 1ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2905-637X; Search for: 1; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3852-1966; Search for: 1; Search for: 1; Search for: 1ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2810-3648; Search for: 1; Search for: ; Search for:
Affiliation
  1. National Research Council of Canada. Security and Disruptive Technologies
FormatText, Article
Abstract
Laser-induced rotational wave packets of H₂ and D₂ molecules were experimentally measured in real time by using two sequential 25-fs laser pulses and a reaction microscope. By measuring the time-dependent yields of the above-threshold dissociation and the enhanced ionization of the molecule, we observed a few-femtosecond time delay between the two dissociation channels for both H₂ and D₂. The delay was interpreted and reproduced by a classical model that considers enhanced ionization and thus additional interaction within the laser pulse. We demonstrate that by accurately measuring the phase of the rotational wave packet in hydrogen molecules we can resolve dissociation dynamics which is occurring within a fraction of a molecular rotation. Such a rotational clock is a general concept applicable to sequential fragmentation processes in other molecules.
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PublisherAmerican Physical Society
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  • Physical Review Letters 125, no. 17, 173201: 1–5.
LanguageEnglish
Peer reviewedYes
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Record identifierb351903f-9c5c-41aa-a490-7e672762a0be
Record created2021-05-11
Record modified2021-05-19
Date modified: