Enhancing High-Order Above-Threshold Dissociation of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$ Beams with Few-Cycle Laser Pulses

Enhancing High-Order Above-Threshold Dissociation of $H_{2}^{+}$ Beams with Few-Cycle Laser Pulses

J. McKenna, A. M. Sayler, F. Anis, B. Gaire, Nora G. Johnson, E. Parke, J. J. Hua, H. Mashiko, C. M. Nakamura, E. Moon, Z. Chang, K. D. Carnes, B. D. Esry, and I. Ben-Itzhak

Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 133001 – Published 1 April 2008

Abstract

High-order (three-photon or more) above-threshold dissociation (ATD) of $H_{2}^{+}$ has generally not been observed using 800 nm light. We demonstrate a strong enhancement of its probability using intense 7 fs laser pulses interacting with beams of $H_{2}^{+}$ , ${HD}^{+}$ , and $D_{2}^{+}$ ions. The mechanism invokes a dynamic control of the dissociation pathway. These measurements are supported by theory that additionally reveals, for the first time, an unexpectedly large contribution to ATD from highly excited electronic states.