Charge-Symmetric Fragmentation of Diatomic Molecules in Intense Picosecond Laser Fields

Analysis of time-of-flight (TOF) spectra of N2 and CO at 600 nm using covariance mapping shows that fragmentation is predominantly charge-symmetric. However, experiments at 305 nm and 248 nm using conventional TOF mass spectroscopy suggest that fragmentation is charge-asymmetric. Covariance mapping at 305 nm has led to a partial re-interpretation of the data and the conclusion that the fragmentation is, indeed, charge-symmetric. It is anticipated that the same will be true at 248 nm.