Momentum and correlation spectra following intense-field dissociative ionization of H_2

The proton and the electron momentum spectra and the proton–proton, electron–electron, and proton–electron ejection correlation spectra induced by 70-ps 532-nm radiation focused to 2×1014 W/cm2 are measured with a 4π electron–ion image spectrometer. The correlation coefficients at this intensity are consistent with (i) sequential fragmentation of H2 into protons and electrons and (ii) dissociation of H2+. (Ionization of H2+ could not be discerned.) The usefulness of the image spectrometer for probing a variety of problems is discussed.