Intensity-dependent branching ratio of ND⁺ dissociation in an intense laser field

J. McKenna, A.M. Sayler, B. Gaire, Nora G. Johnson, E. Parke, K.D. Carnes, B.D. Esry, I. Ben-Itzhak
James R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA

We investigate the fragmentation of an ND⁺ molecular ion beam induced by intense femtosecond (40 fs) 795nm laser pulses. The individual dissociation channels (N⁺ + D and N + D⁺) of this astrophysically important molecule are uniquely separated by a coincidence measurement of the fragments. We observe that the branching ratio of the channels has a strong dependence on laser field strength over the intensity range 2x10¹³ -- 3x10¹⁵ W/cm². Additionally, using measurements of the kinetic energy release and angular distributions for these channels as a guide, we identify the most probable dissociation pathways.

This work was supported by the Chemical Sciences, Geosciences and Biosciences Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy, and by the National Science Foundation.

Presented at DAMOP, May 2008, in State College, PA.

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