Fig. 1.
Snapshots of the time-resolved structures of (D2)2171 (Left) and (HT)2171 (Right) clusters in a Gaussian laser field (IM = 1018 W·cm−2 at τ = 25 fs marked on the images), at three different times t − ts. The lowest part of the image portrays the time axis and the electric field of the laser. The instants of the snapshots are marked on the time axis by a, b, and c. H atoms are represented in blue, T atoms in red, and electrons in light gray. (a) The initial nanoplasma at t − ts = 0. (b) At t − ts = 8.2 fs, the beginning of spatial expansion of the clusters is manifested. In case of the (HT)n cluster, a shell of H+ ions is displayed. At this time, a large number of electrons are stripped by outer ionization, which occurs repeatedly when the electric field of the laser is close to a maximum. (c) At (t − ts) = 13.0 fs, the spatial expansion and shell formation of the HT cluster is pronounced. Also, all nanoplasma electrons have been removed at this time.