Aufsatz in einer Fachzeitschrift
Understanding the role of phase in chemical bond breaking with coincidence angular streaking
Details zur Publikation
Autor(inn)en: | Wu, J.; Magrakvelidze, M.; Schmidt, L.; Kunitski, M.; Pfeifer, T.; Schöffler, M.; Pitzer, M.; Richter, M.; Voss, S.; Sann, H.; Kim, H.; Lower, J.; Jahnke, T.; Czasch, A.; Thumm, U.; Dörner, R. |
Publikationsjahr: | 2013 |
Zeitschrift: | Nature Communications |
Seitenbereich: | 2177 |
Jahrgang/Band : | 4 |
ISSN: | 2041-1723 |
DOI-Link der Erstveröffentlichung: |
URN / URL: |
Zusammenfassung, Abstract
Electron motion in chemical bonds occurs on an attosecond time scale. Thisultrafast motion can be driven by strong laser fields. Ultrashort asymmetric laser pulses areknown to direct electrons to a certain direction. But do symmetric laser pulses destroysymmetry in breaking chemical bonds? Here we answer this question in the affirmative byemploying a two-particle coincidence technique to investigate the ionization andfragmentation of H2 by a long circularly-polarized multicycle femtosecond laser pulse.Angular streaking and the coincidence detection of electrons and ions are employed torecover the phase of the electric field, at the instant of ionization and in the molecular frame,revealing a phase-dependent anisotropy in the angular distribution of H+ fragments. Ourresults show that electron localization and asymmetrical breaking of molecular bonds areubiquitous, even in symmetric laser pulses. The technique we describe is robust and providesa powerful tool for ultrafast science.
Electron motion in chemical bonds occurs on an attosecond time scale. Thisultrafast motion can be driven by strong laser fields. Ultrashort asymmetric laser pulses areknown to direct electrons to a certain direction. But do symmetric laser pulses destroysymmetry in breaking chemical bonds? Here we answer this question in the affirmative byemploying a two-particle coincidence technique to investigate the ionization andfragmentation of H2 by a long circularly-polarized multicycle femtosecond laser pulse.Angular streaking and the coincidence detection of electrons and ions are employed torecover the phase of the electric field, at the instant of ionization and in the molecular frame,revealing a phase-dependent anisotropy in the angular distribution of H+ fragments. Ourresults show that electron localization and asymmetrical breaking of molecular bonds areubiquitous, even in symmetric laser pulses. The technique we describe is robust and providesa powerful tool for ultrafast science.
