Low Field Laser Ionization of Argon Clusters: The Remarkable Fragmentation Dynamics of Doubly Ionized Clusters

Journal Article · Fri Sep 07 04:00:00 EDT 2007 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.99.103401· OSTI ID:21028194

Poisson, Lionel; Raffael, Kevin D; Gaveau, Marc-Andre; Soep, Benoit; Mestdagh, Jean-Michel; Caillat, Jeremie; Taieeb, Richard; Maquet, Alfred ^[1]

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1. Laboratoire Francis Perrin, CEA/DSM/DRECAM/SPAM-CNRS URA 2453, C.E.A. Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex (France)

We have investigated the fission following a Coulomb explosion in argon clusters (up to Ar{sub 800}) irradiated by a femtosecond infrared laser with moderate intensity I{sub L}{approx_equal}10{sup 13} W cm{sup -2}. We report the a priori surprising observation of well-defined velocity distributions of the ionized fragments Ar{sub n<50}{sup +}. This is interpreted by the formation of a valence shell excited charged ion, followed by relaxation, charge transfer by autoionizing collision at very short distance, and asymmetric fission.

• OSTI ID: 21028194
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 99; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ARGON
ASYMMETRY
ATOM COLLISIONS
ATOMIC CLUSTERS
FISSION
IONIZATION
LASERS