Strong-Field Molecular Ionization from Multiple Orbitals

Abstract

We demonstrate strong-field ionization from multiple orbitals of excited-state uracil molecules. The molecules are excited to the first bright state by an ultrafast laser pulse in the deep ultraviolet and then ionized with a strong-field laser pulse in the near infrared during ultrafast relaxation back down to the ground state. We measure time- and angle-dependent ion yields for multiple fragments created by strongfield ionization, and interpret the temporally and angularly resolved yields via ab initio electronic structure calculations. We find that the angular distribution for the electron removed from the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital follows the symmetry of the molecular orbital, whereas ionization of the molecule by removing electrons from deeper bound orbitals is more complicated.