Alignment dependent enhancement of the photo-electron cutoff for multi-photon ionization of molecules

Abstract

The multiphoton ionization rate of molecules depends on the alignment of the molecular axis with respect to the ionizing laser polarization. By studying molecular frame photo-electron angular distributions from N${}_2$, O${}_2$ and benzene, we illustrate how the angle-dependent ionization rate affects the photo-electron cutoff energy. We find alignment can enhance the high energy cutoff of the photo-electron spectrum when probing along a nodal plane or when ionization is otherwise suppressed. This is supported by calculations using a tunneling model with a single ion state.

4 pages, 4 figures

References in corpus (3)

• Photoelectron angular distributions from strong-field ionization of oriented molecules
• Uncovering multiple orbitals influence in high harmonic generation from aligned N${}_2$
• Molecular alignment using circularly polarized laser pulses

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Setting the photoelectron clock through molecular alignment
• Alignment of the CS${}_2$ Dimer Embedded in Helium Droplets Induced by a Circularly Polarized Laser Pulse
• Controlling rotation in the molecular-frame with an optical centrifuge