Ionization of atoms and molecules is a ubiquitous process common to all instances of the interaction of intense laser pulses with matter. It is central to industrial and defense applications, including strong laser heating of droplets to produce radiation for next generation semiconductor lithography, studies of high energy density matter on the National Ignition Facility, and propagation of high power laser pulses through the atmosphere.
Despite the importance of laser-driven ionization, the process has never before been measured with ultrafast time and micron space resolution in combination with absolute yield. This information is essential for both applications and for verification of underlying theoretical models. In this work, these measurements will be accomplished for the first time with a special laser-based strobe-like diagnostic capable of achieving these time and space resolutions.
