LASER-INDUCED NONSEQUENTIAL DOUBLE-IONIZATION OF SMALL MOLECULES

Non-sequential double ionization of N-2 and C2H2 is observed using a l inear polarized 50 fs laser pulse at lambda = 800 nm in the 10(14)-10( 16) W cm(-2) intensity range. The N+ + N+ + E-kinetic charge separatio n channels follow similar laser intensity dependences as the N-2(2-) d etected dication for different final kinetic energy releases E-kinetic . These experimental results show that the two-electron ejection occur s at a short internuclear distance following the Franck-Condon princip le and that the detected molecular dication and charge separation deca y channels in the case of N-2 come from the same molecular complex res ulting from the laser excitation.