Ion momentum mapping in photodissociation and Coulomb explosion events using ion time-of-flight analyzers

: Kukk, Edwin

Publisher: IOP Publishing

: BRISTOL

: 2025

: Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics

: J PHYS B-AT MOL OPT

: 065101

: 58

: 6

: 10

: 0953-4075

: 1361-6455

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6455/adaf87

: https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6455/adaf87

Modern light sources such as free electron lasers allow tracking photoinduced events with unprecedented accuracy. Ion spectroscopy is a particularly useful tool, revealing for example momentum correlations in dissociation and Coulomb explosion patterns. Therefore, determining ion momenta and their relationship with the highest achievable accuracy is very valuable. Here, we develop a systematic approach to accurate ion momentum determination in Wiley-McLaren type ion time-of-flight spectrometers taking into account also field penetration effects. The developed analytical formulae at various levels of approximation are compared with ray tracing simulations and the effects are also illustrated in an experimental example.