Dissociative ionization of ethane with femtosecond pulses of radiation

Abstract

We present results of the interaction of ethane with 50 fs pulses of radiation at a wavelength of 800 nm. Ion yields of the parent ion and daughter fragments were measured using a reflectron time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer. The yields of dissociative ionization products were measured as a function of laser intensity and polarization angle. Intensity scans indicate sequential ionization and dissociation. When the field polarization was rotated with respect to the TOF axis, we observed anisotropic ion yields of fragment ions peaked along the TOF axis. Measurements of the fragment reveal the existence of anomalous perpendicular fragmentation. Kinetic energy of the hydrogen ions was measured using linear operation of the TOF and provided information on the underlying mechanisms for formation of H+, and Quantum chemical calculations using GAUSSIAN 09 further investigated the production of and the stability of C2H2+.