Coincidence momentum imaging of asymmetric Coulomb explosion of CO2 in phase-locked two-color intense laser fields

摘要

Coulomb explosion of CO2, CO2 -> CO2+2 + 2e(-) -> CO+ + O +2e(-), in phase-locked two-color ultrashort intense laser fields (800 nm and 400 nm, similar to 10(14) W/cm(2)) has been investigated by coincidence momentum imaging. The momentum images of the O+ and CO+ fragments show asymmetric distributions along the laser polarization direction depending on the relative phase of the two-color laser fields. The fragment asymmetry becomes most prominent (similar to 4%) at the relative phases providing the largest asymmetry of the electric field amplitude, with the O+ fragments preferentially ejected to the stronger field side. The mechanism of the asymmetric bond breaking of the two equivalent C-O bonds is discussed in terms of the nuclear dynamics in CO22+. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.