Femtosecond dynamics of multielectron dissociative ionization by use of a picosecond laser

Abstract

The multiple ionization of molecular nitrogen has been studied by use of an intense picosecond laser (0.6 ps: 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{15}$ W/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$: wavelength 600 nm). By measurement of the energies of the various fragment atomic ions (${\mathrm{N}}^{+}$, ${\mathrm{N}}^{2+}$, and ${\mathrm{N}}^{3+}$) with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer it has proved possible to investigate the dynamics of the multielectron dissociative ionization process on a time scale of about 30 fs.