Single-photon ionization of aligned H$_2^+$ with lower photon energy

TL;DR

This study investigates how aligned H$_2^+$ molecules ionize under high-frequency, low-intensity laser light, revealing interference patterns influenced by Coulomb potential, which can help probe molecular structure and electron dynamics.

Contribution

The paper introduces a theoretical model explaining interference patterns in single-photon ionization of H$_2^+$, emphasizing Coulomb effects at high frequencies.

Findings

Interference patterns are observed in photoelectron momentum distributions.

Coulomb potential significantly affects electron momentum and interference.

The model provides insights into molecular structure and electron dynamics.

Abstract

We study single-photon ionization of aligned H$_2^+$ in a high-frequency low-intensity laser field. We focus on the case where the laser frequency is not far larger than the ionization potential of the target. The calculated photoelectron momentum distribution through numerical solution of time-dependent Schr\"{o}dinger equation shows clear interference patterns. By developing a theory model applicable for high-frequency laser field, we show that the interference patterns can not be explained by the interference of the electronic wave with the observed momentum between these two atomic centers of the molecule. The Coulomb potential influences remarkably on the momentum of the emitting electronic wave responsible for this interference. Our results suggest a manner for probing the structure and the electron dynamics of the molecule in single-photon ionization.