Suppression of decomposition of aniline cation in intense laser fields by cluster formation with NH3 and H2O

Using a tandem-type time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer, the mass-selected aniline (AN)–water cluster cations, [AN(H2O)n]+ (n=1, 2), were irradiated with the intense femtosecond (fs) laser fields (λ∼395 nm, I∼5×1015 W/cm2, Δt∼50 fs). By the cluster formation with H2O, decomposition of AN+, AN+→C5H6++HNC, induced by the intense fs laser fields was significantly suppressed. From the observation that the suppression of the decomposition of AN+ occurs from [AN(H2O)n]+ more efficiently than from [AN(NH3)n]+ (n=1, 2), the effect of the cluster formation on the decomposition process was discussed.