Photochemistry of acetone clusters: Size-dependent observation of Coulomb explosion in the multiphoton ionization regime

Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre - Mumbai 400 085, India

Corresponding author: rkvatsa@barc.gov.in

Received: 22 July 2008
Accepted: 14 October 2008

Abstract

Size-dependent experimental studies carried out on acetone clusters using 532 nm laser pulses of ~ 10⁹ W/cm² reveal efficient coupling of laser energy with the cluster, resulting in the generation of multiply charged energetic atomic ions as a consequence of Coulomb explosion phenomena. These studies provide clear evidence regarding the necessity of a threshold cluster size as well as the nature and lifetime of an intermediate excited Rydberg state for the efficient energy transfer from the optical field to clusters in the multiphoton ionization regime, resulting in the occurrence of Coulomb explosion.