Double-slit effect on laser induced electron diffraction of dimers

Abstract

We theoretically study strong-field ionization of dimers with large internuclear distance in linearly and circularly polarized light fields. By numerically solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation (TDSE), we show that the double-slit interference effect plays a significant role in the laser-induced electron diffraction of dimers. And the prominent double-slit interference structures are sensitive to the symmetry and orientation of the orbitals of dimers. We then develop a semi-classical trajectory model including the double-slit effect by coherently summing up the contributions of two separated atoms. This model explains the interference fringes of TDSE simulations. And the effect of long-range potential on the double-slit interference is discussed. This work provides intuitive physical insights into how dimers being ionized in strong laser fields and has implications to extract ultrafast dynamics of polyatomic molecules from strong-field photoelectron spectroscopy.