Ionization of 1D and 3D oriented asymmetric top molecules by intense circularly polarized femtosecond laser pulses

Abstract

We present a combined experimental and theoretical study on strong-field ionization of a three-dimensionally oriented asymmetric top molecule, benzonitrile (C${}_7$H${}_5$N), by circularly polarized, nonresonant femtosecond laser pulses. Prior to the interaction with the strong field, the molecules are quantum-state selected using a deflector, and 3-dimensionally (3D) aligned and oriented adiabatically using an elliptically polarized laser pulse in combination with a static electric field. A characteristic splitting in the molecular frame photoelectron momentum distribution reveals the position of the nodal planes of the molecular orbitals from which ionization occurs. The experimental results are supported by a theoretical tunneling model that includes and quantifies the splitting in the momentum distribution. The focus of the present article is to understand strong-field ionization from 3D-oriented asymmetric top molecules, in particular the suppression of electron emission in nodal planes of molecular orbitals. In the preceding article [Dimitrovski et al., Phys. Rev. A 83, 023405 (2011)] the focus is to understand the strong-field ionization of one-dimensionally-oriented polar molecules, in particular asymmetries in the emission direction of the photoelectrons.

12 pages, 9 figures

References in corpus (8)

• Photoelectron angular distributions from strong-field ionization of oriented molecules
• Laser-induced alignment and orientation of quantum-state-selected large molecules
• Quantum-state selection, alignment, and orientation of large molecules using static electric and laser fields
• Manipulating the torsion of molecules by strong laser pulses
• Ionization of oriented carbonyl-sulfide molecules by intense circularly polarized laser pulses
• Precise dipole moment and quadrupole coupling constants of benzonitrile
• Nonadiabatic transitions in electrostatically trapped ammonia molecules
• Stark deceleration of OH radicals in low-field-seeking and high-field-seeking quantum states

Cited by in corpus (1)

• Ionization of oriented carbonyl-sulfide molecules by intense circularly polarized laser pulses