The coupled dynamics of electrons and ions in sodium clusters under irradiation by strong femtosecond laser pulses is investigated within numerical simulations. Electrons are described with the self-consistent semiclassical Vlasov equation and ions are treated classically. The interplay between Coulomb forces and kinetic pressure in the dissociation process is analyzed. The transfer of energy from the electron to the ion system is also analyzed. We compare the ionization/excitation balance with that in peripheral collisions of clusters with highly charged ions.

• Received 28 March 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.64.043203