Theory of dissociative tunneling ionization

Abstract

We present a theoretical study of the dissociative tunneling ionization process. Analytic expressions for the nuclear kinetic energy distribution of the ionization rates are derived. A particularly simple expression for the spectrum is found by using the Born-Oppenheimer (BO) approximation in conjunction with the reflection principle. These spectra are compared to exact non-BO ab initio spectra obtained through model calculations with a quantum mechanical treatment of both the electronic and nuclear degrees freedom. In the regime where the BO approximation is applicable imaging of the BO nuclear wave function is demonstrated to be possible through reverse use of the reflection principle, when accounting appropriately for the electronic ionization rate. A qualitative difference between the exact and BO wave functions in the asymptotic region of large electronic distances is shown. Additionally the behavior of the wave function across the turning line is seen to be reminiscent of light refraction. For weak fields, where the BO approximation does not apply, the weak-field asymptotic theory describes the spectrum accurately.

References in corpus (5)

• Bright Coherent Ultrahigh Harmonics in the keV X-Ray Regime from Mid-Infrared Femtosecond Lasers
• Spatio-temporal isolation of attosecond soft X-ray pulses in the water window
• Spatial imaging of the {H_2}^+ vibrational wave function at the quantum limit
• Ultrafast electro-nuclear dynamics of H2 double ionization
• Dissociative ionization of H2+ using intense femtosecond XUV laser pulses

Cited by in corpus (4)

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• PyStructureFactor: A Python code for the molecular structure factor in tunneling ionization rates
• Laser-induced dissociative ionization of H${}_2$ from the near-infrared to the mid-infrared regime
• Bi-local fields interacting with a constant electric field and related problems including the Schwinger effect