|
We present a theoretical quasiclassical study of the formation, during Coulomb explosion, of highly excited neutral H atoms for strongly driven H_2 molecules. This process, where after the laser field is turned off an electron occupies a Rydberg state of a hydrogen atom, was reported in a recent experimental study see Ref1. We find that two-electron effects are important in order to correctly account for the formation of neutral atoms see Ref2. We show that the formation of a single excited neutral atom H* is possible via two pathways, where either the first or the second ionization step is 'frustrated'. This two single H* formation pathways have distinct traces in the probability distribution of the escaping electron momentum components. We further show that the formation of two highly excited atoms is also possible see Ref3, via a pathway where both ionization steps are ``frustrated''. This latter double H* formation pathway is similar with one of the two single H* formation pathways. Moreover, we compute the screened nuclear charge that drives the Coulomb explosion of the nuclei during the double H* formation.
|