Strong field ionization of molecules on the surface of nanosystems

Abstract

Besides the diverse investigations on the interactions between intense laser fields and molecular systems, extensive research has been recently dedicated to exploring the response of nanosystems excited by well-tailored femtosecond laser fields. Due to the fact that nanostructures hold peculiar effects when illuminated by laser pulses, the underlying mechanisms and the corresponding potential applications can make significant improvements in both fundamental research and development of novel techniques. In this review, we provide a summarization of the strong field ionization occurring on the surface of nanosystems. The molecules attached to the nanoparticle surface perform as the precursor in the ionization and excitation of the whole nanosystem, the fundamental processes of which are yet to be discovered. We discuss the influence on nanoparticle constituents, geometric shapes and sizes, as well as the specific waveforms of the excitation laser fields. The intriguing characteristics observed in surface ion emission reflect how enhanced near field affects the localized ionizations and nanoplasma expansions, thereby paving the way for further precision controls on the light-and-matter interactions in the extreme spatial temporal levels.