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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Isotope-selective strong-field ionization of semiheavy water

A. J. Howard1,2, M. Britton3, Z. L. Streeter4, C. Cheng2,5, R. R. Lucchese6, C. W. McCurdy4,6, and P. H. Bucksbaum1,2,3,5,*

  • *Contact author: phbuck@stanford.edu
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Phys. Rev. Research 7, L012062 – Published 10 March, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.L012062

Abstract

Semiheavy water (HOD) is one of the simplest molecules in which the bonds are labeled by isotope. We demonstrate that a pair of intense few-femtosecond infrared laser pulses can be used to selectively tunnel ionize along one of the two bonds. The first pulse doubly ionizes HOD, inducing rapid bond stretching and unbending. Femtoseconds later, the second pulse arrives and further ionization is selectively enhanced along the OH bond. These conclusions arise from 3D time-resolved measurements of H+, D+, and O+ momenta following triple ionization.

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Phys. Rev. Research 7, L012062– Published 10 March, 2025
  • Received 16 August 2024
  • Accepted 12 February 2025
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