Subcycle controlled charge-directed reactivity with few-cycle midinfrared pulses

The steering of electron motion in molecules is accessible with waveform-controlled few-cycle laser light and may control the outcome of light-induced chemical reactions. An optical cycle of light, however, is much shorter than the duration of the fastest dissociation reactions, severely limiting th...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2012-02, Vol.108 (6), p.063002-063002, Article 063002
Main Authors: Znakovskaya, I, von den Hoff, P, Marcus, G, Zherebtsov, S, Bergues, B, Gu, X, Deng, Y, Vrakking, M J J, Kienberger, R, Krausz, F, de Vivie-Riedle, R, Kling, M F
Format: Article
Language:English
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The steering of electron motion in molecules is accessible with waveform-controlled few-cycle laser light and may control the outcome of light-induced chemical reactions. An optical cycle of light, however, is much shorter than the duration of the fastest dissociation reactions, severely limiting the degree of control that can be achieved. To overcome this limitation, we extended the control metrology to the midinfrared studying the prototypical dissociative ionization of D(2) at 2.1 μm. Pronounced subcycle control of the directional D(+) ion emission from the fragmentation of D(2)(+) is observed, demonstrating unprecedented charge-directed reactivity. Two reaction pathways, showing directional ion emission, could be observed and controlled simultaneously for the first time. Quantum-dynamical calculations elucidate the dissociation channels, their observed phase relation, and the control mechanisms.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.063002