Yu, YouliangZeng, ShuoHernandez, J. V.Wang, YujunEsry, Brett D.2017-04-102017-04-102016-08-31http://hdl.handle.net/2097/35360Citation: Yu, Y. L., Zeng, S., Hernandez, J. V., Wang, Y. J., & Esry, B. D. (2016). Influence of the initial angular distribution on strong-field molecular dissociation. Physical Review A, 94(2), 6. doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.94.023423We study few-cycle, strong-field dissociation of aligned H-2(+) by solving the time-dependent Schrodinger equation including rotation. We examine the dependence of the final angular distribution, the kinetic energy release spectrum, and the total dissociation yield on the initial nuclear angular distribution. In particular, we look at the dependence on the relative angle theta(0) between the laser polarization and the symmetry axis of a well-aligned initial distribution, as well as the dependence on the delay between the "pump" pulse that prepares the alignment and the few-cycle probe pulse. Surprisingly, we find the dissociation probability for theta(0) = 90 degrees can be appreciable even though the transitions involved are purely parallel. We therefore address the limits of the commonly held "ball-and-stick" picture for molecules in intense fields as well as the validity of the axial recoil approximation.This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).Intense Laser FieldsDynamicsOpticsPhysicsArticle