Ultrafast mapping of H+2 (D+2) nuclear wave packets using time-resolved Coulomb explosion imaging

The time evolution of H-+(2) (D-+(2)) nuclear wave packets is studied exploiting a combination of coincident Coulomb explosion imaging and femtosecond pump-probe techniques. Using two 25 fs laser pulses, we map the motion of the dissociating molecular ion, observe an enhanced ionization rate at an internuclear separation of similar to 11 au and resolve trajectories due to the one and two-photon Floquet channels. With two 7 fs pulses, we are able to visualize the vibrational motion of the bound part of the wave packet, which exhibits counterintuitive quantum behaviour and dephases within about 100 fs, in agreement with recent numerical simulations.