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Updated: Mar 25, 2026

Measurement of Ultrafast Vibrational Coherences in Polyatomic Radical Cations with Strong-Field Adiabatic Ionization
Published on: August 6, 2018
Strong Field Molecular Ionization in the Impulsive Limit: Freezing Vibrations with Short Pulses
Péter Sándor1, Vincent Tagliamonti1, Arthur Zhao1
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3800, USA.
Abstract:
We study strong-field molecular ionization as a function of pulse duration. Experimental measurements of the photoelectron yield for a number of molecules reveal competition between different ionization continua (cationic states) which depends strongly on pulse duration. Surprisingly, in the limit of short pulse duration, we find that a single ionic continuum dominates the yield, whereas multiple continua are produced for longer pulses. Using calculations which take vibrational dynamics into account, we interpret our results in terms of nuclear motion and nonadiabatic dynamics during the ionization process.
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