title: Counterintuitive alignment of H2(+) in intense femtosecond laser fields.
abstract: The multiphoton ionization of H2 has been studied using laser pulses of 266 nm wavelength, 250 fs duration, and 5x10(13) W/cm(2) peak intensity. Dissociation of H2(+) via one-photon absorption proceeds through two channels with markedly different proton angular distributions. The lower-energy channel (2.6 eV kinetic energy release) is produced in the bond softening mechanism, which generates parallel alignment. The higher-energy channel (3.5 eV) originates from population trapping in a light-induced bound state, where bond hardening generates orthogonal, counterintuitive alignment.
authors: J. J. Thomson Physical Laboratory, The University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AF, United Kingdom. L.J.Frasinski@reading.ac.uk
authors: L J
authors: LJ
authors: Frasinski
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Plumridge
authors: J H
authors: JH
authors: Posthumus
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Codling
authors: P F
authors: PF
authors: Taday
authors: E J
authors: EJ
authors: Divall
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Langley