Abstract. We have analysed angular distributions of the photoelectron yields arising from strong-field ionization of diatomic and polyatomic linear molecules using a leading-order intense-field S-matrix theory. For molecules with active π electrons the distribution is found to strongly depend on the degree of molecular alignment, showing a nodal minimum along the laser polarization direction as a characteristic signature.

Print publication: Issue 21 (14 November 2003)
Received 22 July 2003, in final form 23 September 2003
Published 14 October 2003