Ultrafast Proton Transfer Driven by a Femtosecond Strong-Field Laser Pulse

POSTER

Abstract

Kinetic energy distributions of protons ejected from a polyatomic molecule, anthraquinone, subjected to 60~fs, 800~nm laser pulses of intensity between 0.2 and 4.0x10\^{}14~W/cm\^{}2, reveal field-driven restructuring of the molecule (intramolecular proton migration) prior to its Coulomb explosion. Model calculations demonstrate that proton migrates into a field-dressed metastable potential energy minimum. Isomerization mediated by strong field is an important novel phenomenon in coupling of polyatomic molecules with intense laser pulses.

Authors

  • Alexei Markevitch

    • Temple University, Department of Chemistry

  • Dmitri Romanov

    • Dept. of Physics, Center for Advanced Photonics Research, Temple University
    • Temple University,Department of Physics

  • Stanley Smith

    • Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
    • Wayne State University, Department of Chemistry

  • Robert Levis

    • Temple University
    • Dept. of Chemistry, Center for Advanced Photonics Research, Temple University
    • Temple University, Department of Chemistry