Large molecules in high-intensity laser fields

Abstract

New research fields have opened up that are related to the interactions between molecules and high-intensity optical fields where the laser intensity ranges from 10 12–10 17 W cm −2. A broad outline of this area will be described from the perspective of products and new techniques for beam generation. Studies of large molecules have begun and some examples are introduced herein. Parent ions with little fragmentation are found to form in the intensity region below 10 16 W cm −2. The formation of intact ions can be used in femtosecond laser mass spectrometry. In the intensity region above 10 16 W cm −2, electrons are stripped from the molecules by optical field ionization and the highly charged ions can undergo a Coulomb explosion. Coulomb explosions of benzene and C 60 have been demonstrated, and the mechanism can be analyzed by means of molecular dynamics simulations. A high intensity femtosecond laser beam can be converted to radiation sources of coherent VUV light, X-rays etc. and some possibilities for new chemical applications will be discussed.