DISSOCIATIVE TUNNEL IONIZATION OF H-2 IN AN INTENSE MID-IR LASER FIELD

We report the examination of the dynamics of dissociative tunnel ionization of H2 in a 10-μm laser field. The kinetic energy of the dissociated fragments along with ion yields were measured. The proposed model prediction agrees with the observed intensity dependencies, suggesting the dynamics of the process: the tunnel ionization of H2 is followed by the chaotic dissociation of H2+ in the beyond-dissociation threshold field, and the process is completed by the associative tunnel ionization of the neutral fragments. © 1995 The American Physical Society.