Direct Coulomb explosion of N2O2+ induced by monochromatic extreme ultraviolet photons at 38.5 eV*

Abstract

The direct Coulomb explosion of N2O2+ has been investigated experimentally after double-ionization by a single extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photon with an energy of ∼ 38.5 eV. From the ion–ion time-of-flight coincidence spectrum, the de-nitrogenation (N2 O2+ → N+ + NO+) and de-oxygenation (N2O2+→ O+ + N2 +) photodissociation channels of N2O2+ are unequivocally identified. The measured kinetic energy release (KER) distribution of the de-nitrogenation channel presents a major peak accompanied by a shoulder structure. We find that the major peak can be attributed to the direct photodissociation of the 11Δ and 11Σ+ states, while the shoulder structure should be ascribed to the predissociation of the 11Σ and 11Σ+ states via 13Π state.