Molecular rescattering signature in above-threshold ionization

Above-threshold ionization electron spectra recorded with nonaligned molecules such as N-2, CO2, and C3H4 exhibit the same classical kinematics features of electrons in strong laser fields as for atoms in the 10(14) W cm(-2) laser intensity range. The cutoff energies for direct and rescattered electrons are governed by the electron classical dynamics in the intense laser field. The main differences are found in the energy-resolved angular distributions. The molecular potential leads to a larger differential elastic cross section for forward-rescattered electrons and as a consequence to broader angular distributions for rescattered electrons with energies lower than 5U(p), where U-p is the ponderomotive potential.