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Sub-laser-cycle electron pulses for probing molecular dynamics

Nature volume 417, pages 917–922 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Experience shows that the ability to make measurements in any new time regime opens new areas of science. Currently, experimental probes for the attosecond time regime (10-18–10-15 s) are being established. The leading approach is the generation of attosecond optical pulses by ionizing atoms with intense laser pulses. This nonlinear process leads to the production of high harmonics during collisions between electrons and the ionized atoms. The underlying mechanism implies control of energetic electrons with attosecond precision. We propose that the electrons themselves can be exploited for ultrafast measurements. We use a ‘molecular clock’, based on a vibrational wave packet in H2+ to show that distinct bunches of electrons appear during electron–ion collisions with high current densities, and durations of about 1 femtosecond (10-15 s). Furthermore, we use the molecular clock to study the dynamics of non-sequential double ionization.

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Figure 1: Important potential-energy curves for H2 and its ions.
Figure 2: The number of protons measured per unit energy as a function of the proton kinetic energy.
Figure 3: Ellipticity dependence of the number of energetic protons produced when an intense laser field ionizes H2.
Figure 4: The calculated electron current density experienced by the ion as a function of time after ionization.
Figure 5: Observed (data points) and calculated (solid curve) kinetic-energy spectrum for the energetic protons caused by inelastic scattering.
Figure 6: Angular dependence of the double-ionization (excitation) probability due to recollision.
Figure 7: Intensity dependence of the double-ionization (excitation) probability.

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Acknowledgements

F.L. acknowledges financial support from Canada's Natural Science and Engineering Research Council, the Canadian Institute for Photonics Innovation and Quebec's Fonds pour la Formation des Chercheurs et l'Aide à la Recherche.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Council of Canada, 100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A OR6, Canada

    Hiromichi Niikura, R. Hasbani, Misha Yu. Ivanov, D. M. Villeneuve & P. B. Corkum

  2. Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, PQ, Canada

    F. Légaré & A. D. Bandrauk

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  1. Hiromichi Niikura
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  2. F. Légaré
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Correspondence to P. B. Corkum.

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Niikura, H., Légaré, F., Hasbani, R. et al. Sub-laser-cycle electron pulses for probing molecular dynamics. Nature 417, 917–922 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature00787

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