Laser-induced dissociation and ionization of H(+)(2) were simultaneously measured using coincidence 3D momentum imaging, allowing direct separation of the two processes, even where the fragment kinetic energy is the same for both processes. The results for 45 and 135 fs 790 nm pulses with an intensity of approximately 2.5 x 10(14) W/cm(2) differ from each other much more than one would expect from previous measurements with longer pulses. Ionization was negligible for the longer pulse and was strongly aligned along the laser polarization for the shorter pulse, but showed no structure in its kinetic energy distribution. In addition, the ionization to dissociation ratio was found to be much smaller than theoretically predicted for H(+)(2).

The dissociation of H 2 + in an intense laser field has been experimentally studied using femtosecond laser pulses at 790 nm in the intensity range of 10 13 -10 15 W/cm 2 . Kinematically complete measurements of both the ionic H + and neutral H fragments dissociated from a vibrationally excited H 2 + beam have been achieved by a coincidence three-dimensional momentum imaging system. Angular-resolved kinetic energy release spectra for a series of different intensity ranges have been obtained using the intensity-difference spectrum method, thus disentangling the problem caused by the intensity volume effect. Our results indicate that the dissociation dynamics are drastically different for "long" ͑135 fs͒ and "short" ͑45 fs͒ laser pulses at similar high laser intensities. Specifically, bond softening is found to be the main feature in long pulses, while above threshold dissociation is dominant in short pulses whose durations are comparable with the vibrational period of the molecule. Bond softening in short pulses appears at low kinetic energy release with a narrow angular distribution. The experimental results are well interpreted by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation in the Born-Oppenheimer representation without nuclear rotation.

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