Complete characterization of molecular dynamics in ultrashort laser fields

Area of Science:

• Physical Chemistry
• Molecular Physics
• Quantum Dynamics

Background:

• Understanding molecular dynamics under intense laser fields is crucial for controlling chemical reactions.
• Coulomb explosion imaging provides insights into molecular fragmentation processes.
• Femtosecond time-resolved techniques are essential for capturing ultrafast molecular motions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the wave packet dynamics of vibrating and dissociating D2+ molecules.
• To visualize field-modified molecular potential curves using time-resolved imaging.
• To demonstrate the capability of Fourier analysis for characterizing ultrafast molecular dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a Reaction Microscope for complete, time-resolved Coulomb explosion imaging.
• Employing femtosecond laser pulses to initiate and probe molecular dissociation.
• Performing internuclear distance (R)-dependent Fourier analysis of wave packet dynamics.

Main Results:

• Achieved femtosecond time-resolution for imaging D2+ dissociation.
• Obtained two-dimensional R-dependent frequency spectra from Fourier analysis.
• Successfully visualized field-modified molecular potential curves.

Conclusions:

• The R-dependent Fourier analysis enables complete characterization of wave packet dynamics.
• Direct visualization of field-modified potentials is possible with this technique.
• This method offers a powerful approach to study molecular behavior in intense laser fields.