Open AccessImaging of electron transition and bond breaking in the photodissociation of H2+ via ultrafast X-ray photoelectron diffraction
Author(s) -
Zhaopeng Sun,
Hongbin Yao,
Xianghe Ren,
Yunquan Liu,
Dehua Wang,
Wenkai Zhao,
Chunyang Wang,
ChuanLu Yang
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.416927
Subject(s) - photoionization , diffraction , ultrashort pulse , femtosecond , attosecond , atomic physics , physics , photodissociation , electron diffraction , ground state , electron , ionization , optics , laser , chemistry , ion , quantum mechanics , photochemistry
We theoretically investigate the photodissociation dynamics of H2+ using the methodology of ultrafast X-ray photoelectron diffraction (UXPD). We use a femtosecond infrared pulse to prompt a coherent excitation from the molecular vibrational state (v = 9) of the electronic ground state (1sσ g ) and then adopt another time-delayed attosecond X-ray pulse to probe the dynamical properties. We have calculated photoionization momentum distributions by solving the non-Born-Oppenheimer time-dependent Schrödinger equation (TDSE). We unambiguously identify the phenomena associated with the g - u symmetry breakdown in the time-resolved photoelectron diffraction spectra. Using the two-center interference model, we can determine the variation in nuclear spacing with high accuracy. In addition, we use a strong field approximation (SFA) model to interpret the UXPD profile, and the SFA simulations can reproduce the TDSE results in a quantitative way.