Heteronuclear diatomic molecules in a strong laser field with an arbitrary polarization
Processes of above-threshold ionization (ATI) and high-order harmonic generation (HHG) for heteronuclear diatomic molecules are investigated. By analyzing the HHG and ATI spectra for different molecular orientation with respect to the main laser polarization axis and for different values of the photon energies and electron energies and emission angle, we are able to draw some conclusions about the molecular structure. The partial elliptic dichroism effect in HHG spectra is also analyzed. Regarding the ATI spectra, two-center interference minima are visible, even for a circularly polarized laser field. The positions of the minima depend on the internuclear distance, on the relative contributions of the atomic orbitals to the highest occupied molecular orbital and on the laser field parameters.