Alignment-Dependent Ionization of N2, O2, and CO2 in Intense Laser Fields

S. Petretti, Y. V. Vanne, A. Saenz, A. Castro and P. Decleva. Alignment-Dependent Ionization of N2, O2, and CO2 in Intense Laser Fields. Physical Review Letters. 2010, Vol. 104, p. 223001-2010.

The ionization probability of N2 , O2, and CO2 in intense laser fields is studied theoretically as a function of the alignment angle by solving the time-dependent Schröger equation numerically assuming only the single-active-electron approximation. The results are compared to recent experimental data [D. Pavicic et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 243001 (2007)] and good agreement is found for N2 and O2. For CO2 a possible explanation is provided for the failure of simplified single-active-electron models to reproduce the experimentally observed narrow ionization distribution. It is based on a field-induced coherent core-trapping effect.