Direct measurement of the angular dependence of ionization for N2, O2, and CO2 in intense laser fields.
We experimentally measure the ionization probability as a function of alignment angle of three molecules in intense laser fields: nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. Unlike atoms, molecules have a rotational degree of freedom. By controlling the alignment of the molecule relative to the laser field, molecules offer additional ways to understand strong-field ionization. The angular dependence of ionization directly maps to the orbital symmetry of each molecule. Carbon dioxide is seen to have a very sharp preference for ionization when aligned at 45 degrees to the laser field, in significant disagreement with current theories.
National Research Council of Canada, 100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0R6, Canada.
Domagoj
D
Pavicić
Kevin F
KF
Lee
D M
DM
Rayner
P B
PB
Corkum
D M
DM
Villeneuve