Multiphoton ionization of Uracil

Multiphoton ionization and dissociation of Uracil using a Reflectron time of flight spectrometer was performed along with radiation from the second harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser. Uracil is one of the four nitrogen bases that belong to RNA. The last years special interest has been concentrated on the study of the effects under UV radiation in nucleic acids$^{\mathrm{1}}$ and also in the role that this molecule could have played in the origin and development of life on our planet$^{\mathrm{2}}$. The MPI mass spectra show that the presence and intensity of the resulting ions strongly depend on the density power. The identification of the ions in the mass spectra is presented. The results are compared with those obtained in other laboratories under different experimental conditions and some of them show partial agreement$^{\mathrm{3}}$.