Electron emission and fragmentation of molecules in intense laser fields

Abstract

We have constructed an apparatus for high-resolution electron spectroscopy and electron-ion coincidence experiments on gas-phase molecules in intense laser fields. The apparatus comprises an electron time-of-flight (TOF) spectrometer and an ion TOF spectrometer with a position detector, placed on either side of an effusive molecular beam. The ionizing radiation is either the fundamental (800 nm wavelength) of a Ti:sapphire laser or frequency doubled 400-nm light, with pulse durations of ~ 150 fs and the repetition rate of 1 kHz. We have investigated the electron emission and fragmentation of linear alcohol molecules, methanol, ethanol and 1-propanol, in laser fields with peak intensities up to ~ 1× 10¹⁴ W/cm². Details of our apparatus are described along with an overview of some recent results.