DISSOCIATIVE IONIZATION OF N2 AND CO USING INTENSE LASERS AT 248 AND 305 NM

Analysis of conventional ion time-of-flight spectra of N2 and CO at la ser wavelengths of 248 and 305 nm suggests that fragmentation is predo minantly charge-asymmetric. In a recent publication we describe the us e of covariance mapping to prove that charge-symmetric fragmentation i s, in fact, the dominant mechanism at 305 nm. This present contributio n shows that the same is true at 248 nm. Moreover, the dissociation en ergies associated with specific fragmentation channels are the same, w ithin experimental error, for both molecules and at both wavelengths.