Ultrafast Molecular Imaging by Laser Induced Electron Diffraction

Michel Peters (1, 2) , Tung Nguyen-Dang (2) , Christian Cornaggia (3) , Sébastien Saugout (1) , Eric Charron (4) , Arne Keller (1) , Osman Atabek (1)

1 ISMO - Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d'Orsay
2 Département de Chimie, Université Laval
3 SPAM - Service des Photons, Atomes et Molécules
4 Approches théoriques en dynamique quantique

We address the feasibility of imaging geometric and orbital structure of a polyatomic molecule on an attosecond time-scale using the laser induced electron diffraction (LIED) technique. We present numerical results for the highest molecular orbitals of the CO2 molecule excited by a near infrared few-cycle laser pulse. The molecular geometry (bond-lengths) is determined within 3% of accuracy from a diffraction pattern which also reflects the nodal properties of the initial molecular orbital. Robustness of the structure determination is discussed with respect to vibrational and rotational motions with a complete interpretation of the laser-induced mechanisms.

Domaines: Physique Quantique [quant-ph]

Michel Peters, Tung Nguyen-Dang, Christian Cornaggia, Sébastien Saugout, Eric Charron, et al.. Ultrafast Molecular Imaging by Laser Induced Electron Diffraction. Physical Review A : Atomic, molecular, and optical physics [1990-2015], 2011, 83 (5), pp.051403(R). ⟨10.1103/PhysRevA.83.051403⟩. ⟨hal-00521533v2⟩