Eur. Phys. J. D 45, 447-458 (2007)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2007-00209-3

Hindered Coulomb explosion of embedded Na clusters — stopping, shape dynamics and energy transport

¹ Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Erlangen, Staudtstrasse 7, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
² Laboratoire de Physique Théorique, Université P. Sabatier, 118 Rte de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex, France

Corresponding author: ^a reinhard@theorie2.physik.uni-erlangen.de

Received: 1 February 2007
Revised: 24 May 2007
Published online: 22 June 2007

Abstract

We investigate the dynamical evolution of a Na₈ cluster embedded in Ar matrices of various sizes from N=30 to 1048. The system is excited by an intense short laser pulse leading to high ionization stages.We analyze the subsequent highly non-linear motion of cluster and Ar environment in terms of trajectories, shapes, and energy flow. The most prominent effects are: temporary stabilization of high charge states for several ps, sudden stopping of the Coulomb explosion of the embedded Na₈ clusters associated with an extremely fast energy transfer to the Ar matrix, fast distribution of energy throughout the Ar layers by a sound wave. Other ionic-atomic transfer and relaxation processes proceed at slower scale of few ps. The electron cloud is almost thermally decoupled from ions and thermalizes far beyond the ps scale.