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Centrifugal Fragmentation
Under certain conditions (laser intensity and pulse length) the rotational
dynamics of a diatomic molecule can lead to fragmentation [1]: Whereas initially aligned (thus non-rotating) molecules
are stable, initially non-aligned (thus rotating) molecules fragment due centrifugal forces. ("Centrifugal Fragmentation")
The movies show H2+ exposed to a laser pulse (266 nm
wavelength, 80 fs pulse duration and 1.1·1014
W/cm2 intensity), starting from different initial angles θ with
respect to the laser polarization axis.
(a) θ = 0 ° (vibration)
The molecule is initially aligned. The laser excites vibration, but the molecule remains stable.
(b) θ = 30 ° (vibration + rotation)
The molecule is initially non-aligned. The laser excites vibration and rotation, but still
the molecule remains stable.
(c) θ = 60 ° ("Centrifugal Fragmentation")
The initially non-aligned molecule accumulates enough angular momentum to overcome
the fragmentation barrier at &theta ≈ 0 ° ("Centrifugal Fragmentation").
θ = 0 °
(a)
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θ = 30 °
(b)
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θ = 60 °
(c)
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M. Fischer, U. Lorenz, B. Schmidt, and R. Schmidt,
Fragmentation due to centrifugal forces in the photodissociation of H2+ in intense laser fields,
Phys. Rev. A 84, 033422 (2011)
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