Exploring strong-field isomerization and dissociation of acetylene anion and cation targets

ORAL

Abstract

Over the past several years, acetylene has generated substantial interest as a prototype system for examining isomerization processes, specifically hydrogen migration. Using coincidence 3D momentum imaging, we investigate intense ultrafast laser-induced isomerization and two-body fragmentation of keV beams of various charge states of acetylene, including C$_2$H$_2^-$, C$_2$H$_2^+$, and C$_2$H$_2^{2+}$. Whereas the vast majority of previous work on strong field isomerization and fragmentation of acetylene has necessarily involved ionization step(s), by focusing on dissociation, we ensure that the dynamics ensue within a single molecular ion species, potentially simplifying interpretation. Also, we find the behavior of the branching ratios of the acetylene (CH$^{q_1}$+CH$^{q_2}$) and vinylidene (C$^{q_1}$+CH$_2^{q_2}$) dissociation channels to depend strongly upon the initial ionic species.

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Authors

  • Bethany Jochim

    J. R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 USA, J.R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS, USA

  • Ben Berry

    J. R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 USA, J.R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS, USA

  • Travis Severt

    J. R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 USA, J.R. Macdonald Laboratory, Physics Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA, J.R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS, USA, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS, USA, J.R. Macdonald Laboratory, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506

  • Peyman Feizollah

    J. R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 USA, J.R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS, USA

  • M. Zohrabi

    J. R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 USA

  • K. J. Betsch

    J. R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 USA

  • Kanaka Raju Pandiri

    J. R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 USA, J.R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS, USA, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS, USA, J.R. Macdonald Laboratory, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506

  • K. D. Carnes

    J. R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 USA, J.R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS, USA

  • Itzik Ben-Itzhak

    J. R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 USA, J.R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS, USA, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS, USA, J.R. Macdonald Laboratory, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506

  • E. Wells

    Department of Physics, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD 57197 USA