Abstract

Molecular ionization in intense laser fields is currently of great interest.¹ We present a systematic study of the ionization of di- and triatomics at 10¹²–10¹⁴ W cm⁻², which probes the relative importance of dissociation and ionization processes. The lowest zero-field dissociation energy D_c among the molecules studied is 3.11 eV (NO₂) (Table 1); the highest is 11.09 eV (CO). Similarly, the lowest ionization energy is 9.78 eV (NO₂), the largest being 15.56 eV (N₂). Although D_c may be substantially modified in intense fields, it nevertheless provides a good measure of bond strengths.

© 1994 Optical Society of America