Ionization and Fragmentation of Some Chlorinated Compounds and Dibenzo-p-dioxin with an Intense Femtosecond Laser Pulse at 800 nm

We detected parent and fragment ions from 14 chlorinated and a few fluorinated compounds as well as dibenzo-p-dioxin (dioxin) in intense laser fields. The irradiation pulse had an intensity from 1 × 1013 to 1 × 1015 W cm-2, with a 130-fs pulse duration at a central wavelength of 800 nm. Irradiation at this intensity led to a singly ionized species and a small amount of atomic ions, indicating the onset of Coulomb explosions. We have previously reported finding a key factor in determining the parent and/or fragment ion formations of organic hydrocarbons with an intense femtosecond laser pulse [Harada, H.; et al. Chem. Phys. Lett. 2001, 342, 563−570]. This key factor is a requirement for parent ion predominance if the excitation laser wavelength and the absorption spectra of the target cation are in nonresonance, and vice versa. Use of this factor has been found to be effective for molecules other than hexachlorobutadiene. The threshold intensities I sat at the infinity ionization rate were determined and are reasonably comparable to those of previously reported hydrocarbons.