Enhanced ionization of perpendicularly aligned H 2 in intense laser fields

Abstract: Using three-dimensional classical ensembles, we have investigated the enhancement of double ionization of perpendicularly aligned H 2 molecules by a 800nm laser pulse with intensity ranging from 1×1014 W/cm2 to 6×1014 W/cm2. The simulated results show that double ionization probability of H 2 strongly depends on R and reaches a maximum at an intensity independent critical distance R C ≈5a.u. Furthermore, the enhancement of double ionization is more pronounced in the cases of weaker or stronger fields. These results, a well indication of the influence of molecular structures and laser–molecule interactions on double ionization of diatomic molecules, are analyzed in detail and qualitatively explained based on the field-induced barrier suppression model and back analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]