Eur. Phys. J. D 14, 257-265 (2001)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s100530170224

Time-dependent fragment distributions detected via pump-probe ionisation: a theoretical approach

¹ Laboratoire de Collisions, Agrégats et Reactivité, IRSAMC, Université Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse, France
² FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics AMOLF, Kruislaan 407, 1098 SJ Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Corresponding author: ^a bertrand@yosemite.ups-tlse.fr

Received: 13 October 2000
Revised: 8 December 2000
Published online: 15 May 2001

Abstract

We show how in molecular predissociation a method combining ultrafast pump-probe techniques with a measurement of the relative recoil velocity can map time-dependent neutral fragment distributions into the ionic continuum. With an appropriate probe pulse exciting a resonant transition (such as (1+1) Resonance Enhanced Multiphoton Ionisation, or excitation of ZEKE states), the temporal evolution of fragment distributions can in principle be measured. Numerical simulations on NaI predissociation are compared to a simple approximate mapping interpretation. The results are discussed in terms of the interplay between temporal and energetic resolution with respect to current experimental limitations.