Imaging of electron transition and bond breaking in the photodissociation of H2+ via ultrafast X-ray photoelectron diffraction

We theoretically investigate the photodissociation dynamics of H-2(+) using the methodology of ultrafast X-ray photoelectron diffraction (UXPD). We use a femtosecond infrared pulse to prompt a coherent excitation from the molecular vibrational state (v = 9) of the electronic ground state (1s sigma(g)) and then adopt another time-delayed attosecond X-ray pulse to probe the dynamical properties. We have calculated photoionization momentum distributions by solving the non-Born-Oppenheimer time-dependent Schrodinger equation (TDSE). We unambiguously identify the phenomena associated with the g - u symmetry breakdown in the time-resolved photoelectron diffraction spectra. Using the two-center interference model, we can determine the variation in nuclear spacing with high accuracy. In addition, we use a strong field approximation (SFA) model to interpret the UXPD profile, and the SFA simulations can reproduce the TDSE results in a quantitative way. (C) 2021 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement