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Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 233003 (2003) [4 pages]

Alignment-Dependent Strong Field Ionization of Molecules

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I. V. Litvinyuk1, Kevin F. Lee1,2, P. W. Dooley1,2, D. M. Rayner1, D. M. Villeneuve1, and P. B. Corkum1,2
1Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences, National Research Council of Canada, 100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0R6, Canada
2Department of Physics & Astronomy, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, K1S 5P3, Canada

Received 20 November 2002; published 10 June 2003

We demonstrate a method to measure strong field laser ionization of aligned molecules. The method employs a macroscopic field-free dynamic alignment, which occurs during revivals of rotational wave packets produced by a femtosecond laser pulse. We investigate the dependence of strong field ionization of N2 on molecular orientation. We determine that N2 molecules are four times more likely to ionize when aligned parallel to the field than when aligned perpendicular to it.

© 2003 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.233003
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.233003
PACS:
33.80.Rv, 42.50.Hz
 
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