Ultrafast Molecular Imaging by Laser Induced Electron Diffraction

Michel Peters (1, 2) , Tung Nguyen-Dang (2) , Christian Cornaggia (3) , Sébastien Saugout (1) , Eric Charron (1) , 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

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 [T. Zuo \textit{et al.}, Chem. Phys. Lett. \textbf{259}, 313 (1996)]. We present numerical results obtained for the CO$_2$ molecule using a single active electron model. 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. 2010. ⟨hal-00521533v1⟩