Combining two near-IR laser greatly enhances the ionization of methanol

What is it about?

We show that combining two laser pulses of different wavelengths produces interfering fields that generate a few high-amplitude peaks, significantly enhancing the double ionization of methanol. This, in turn, leads to an increase of more than an order of magnitude in the yield of specific fragments such as H₃⁺.

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Why is it important?

The process of strong-field ionization in molecules remains incompletely understood. Our results provide compelling evidence that double ionization arises from tunnel ionization followed by electron recollision. The interference of two near-IR pulses of different wavelengths produces high-amplitude fields that drive both tunneling and recollision processes. The substantial enhancement in yield observed under these conditions rules out a multiphoton ionization mechanism, underscoring the central role of strong-field dynamics in molecular ionization.

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