Visualizing the strong field-induced molecular breakup of C₆₀ via x-ray diffraction.

ABSTRACT: Laser-driven dynamics in polyatomic molecules poses a complex many-body problem. Understanding intense light-matter interaction is crucial for steering intramolecular quantum dynamical processes. Here, we record time-resolved x-ray diffraction images of [Formula: see text] molecules during and after their interaction with intense near-infrared fields, giving direct access to structural changes of the molecules and their fragmentation in real time. Tuning the intensity of the excitation pulses, we uncover a transition from a weak-field regime of excited but stable molecules to a high-field regime dominated by Coulomb explosion. In the transition region, the molecules expand by up to 50% of their initial size within just 140 fs, with major fragmentation only setting in afterward. This work d

SUBMITTER: Schnorr K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12637291 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature