Laser-induced electron diffraction: a new tool for probing ultrafast molecular dynamics

Momentum angular distributions of the nonlinear multiphoton photoelectron spectra from intense ultrashort pulse ionization of H2+ molecular ions show signatures of electron diffraction from the two nuclei. The interference patterns depend on the internuclear distance of H2+. Photoelectron angular distributions should serve as a new tool to probe ultrafast molecular dynamics in pump-probe studies with intense, ultrashort laser pulses.