Orientation-dependent ionization yields from strong-field ionization of fixed-in-space linear and asymmetric top molecules

The yield of strong-field ionization, by a linearly polarized probe pulse, is studied experimentally and theoretically as a function of the relative orientation between the laser field and the molecule. Experimentally, carbonyl sulphide (OCS), benzonitrile and naphthalene molecules are aligned in on...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of physics. B, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics Atomic, molecular, and optical physics, 2012-01, Vol.45 (1), p.15101-1-8
Main Authors: HANSEN, Jonas L, HOLMEGAARD, Lotte, NIELSEN, Jens H, STAPELFELDT, Henrik, DIMITROVSKI, Darko, MADSEN, Lars Bojer
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accounting
Alignment
Atomic and molecular physics
Autoionization, photoionization, and photodetachment
Benzonitrile
Exact sciences and technology
Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications)
Ionization
Lasers
Mathematical models
Molecular properties and interactions with photons
Naphthalene
Optics
Orientation
Photon interactions with molecules
Physics
Quantum optics
Strong-field excitation of optical transitions in quantum systems
multi-photon processes
dynamic stark shift
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Summary:The yield of strong-field ionization, by a linearly polarized probe pulse, is studied experimentally and theoretically as a function of the relative orientation between the laser field and the molecule. Experimentally, carbonyl sulphide (OCS), benzonitrile and naphthalene molecules are aligned in one or three dimensions before being singly ionized by a 30 fs laser pulse centred at 800 nm. Theoretically, we address the behaviour of these three molecules. We consider the degree of alignment and orientation and model the angular dependence of the total ionization yield by molecular tunnelling theory accounting for the Stark shift of the energy level of the ionizing orbital. For naphthalene and benzonitrile, the orientational dependence of the ionization yield agrees well with the calculated results, in particular, we observe that ionization is maximized when the probe laser is polarized along the most polarizable axis. For OCS the observation of the maximum ionization yield when the probe is perpendicular to the internuclear axis contrasts the theoretical results.
ISSN:0953-4075
1361-6455
DOI:10.1088/0953-4075/45/1/015101