Electron-Nuclear Coupling through Autoionizing States after Strong-Field Excitation of H_{2} Molecules

Channel-selective electron emission from strong-field photoionization of H_{2} molecules is experimentally investigated by using ultrashort laser pulses and a reaction microscope. The electron momenta and energy spectra in coincidence with bound and dissociative ionization channels are compared. Sur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2017-05, Vol.118 (18), p.183201-183201
Main Authors: Mi, Yonghao, Camus, Nicolas, Fechner, Lutz, Laux, Martin, Moshammer, Robert, Pfeifer, Thomas
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Channel-selective electron emission from strong-field photoionization of H_{2} molecules is experimentally investigated by using ultrashort laser pulses and a reaction microscope. The electron momenta and energy spectra in coincidence with bound and dissociative ionization channels are compared. Surprisingly, we observed an enhancement of the photoelectron yield in the low-energy region for the bound ionization channel. By further investigation of asymmetrical electron emission using two-color laser pulses, this enhancement is understood as the population of the autoionizing states of H_{2} molecules in which vibrational energy is transferred to electronic energy. This general mechanism provides access to the vibrational-state distribution of molecular ions produced in a strong-field interaction.
ISSN:1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.183201