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Picosecond Electron Diffraction From Molecules Aligned By Dissociation, Martin Centurion, Peter Reckenthaeler, Ferenc Krausz, Ernst E. Fill

Martin Centurion Publications

In gas electron diffraction an averaging over statistical directions of the molecules takes place. This results in diffraction patterns in the form of isotropic rings which yield information only on the radial distribution function displaying the inter-atomic distances. We demonstrate that by dissociating molecules with linearly polarized light the pattern becomes anisotropic. In the experiments the iodide C₂F₄I₂ is dissociated and molecular difference intensities and difference radial distribution curves are measured for directions parallel and perpendicular to the direction of polarization. With picosecond temporal resolution the curves clearly demonstrate transient anisotropy and its decay by …