Clear evidence of zero-photon dissociation of H2^+ in intense few cycle laser pulses
Abstract
Evidence of net zero-photon dissociation is elusive, since the low kinetic energy release, which is the signature of this process, can also be due to resonance enhanced multi-photon ionization (REMPI) of H2 [Posthumus et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 233004 (2008)]. To eliminate the competing REMPI process we have studied an H2^+ beam target. Explicitly, we measured very low kinetic energy release (down to 0 eV) upon dissociation of H2^+ using a coincidence three dimensional momentum imaging technique. Our experimental findings are supported by the solutions of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for the conditions used in the experiment. Our results suggest that the zero-photon dissociation mechanism, most visible at ∼10^13 W/cm^2, is enhanced for short laser pulses (<=10 fs).
- Publication:
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APS Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- March 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010APS..DMP.L2007G