2022/10/24 by A. J. Howard, Mat Britton, Howard, A. J. +23 · 2 citations
Chemistry · Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Atomic Physics (physics.atom-ph) #Chemical Physics (physics.chem-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Ion-surface interactions and analysis #Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications #Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications #Optics (physics.optics) #Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2210.13645
openalex publication_date 2022/10/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Filming atomic motion within molecules is an active pursuit of molecular physics and quantum chemistry. A promising method is laser-induced Coulomb Explosion Imaging (CEI) where a laser pulse rapidly ionizes many electrons from a molecule, causing the remaining ions to undergo Coulomb repulsion. The ion momenta are used to reconstruct the molecular geometry which is tracked over time (i.e. filmed) by ionizing at an adjustable delay with respect to the start of interatomic motion. Results are distorted, however, by ultrafast motion during the ionizing pulse. We studied this effect in water and filmed the rapid "slingshot" motion that enhances ionization and distorts CEI results. Our investigation uncovered both the geometry and mechanism of the enhancement which may inform CEI experiments in many other polyatomic molecules.