Reading diffraction images in strong field ionization of diatomic molecules
We present a theoretical analysis of how intense, few-cycle infrared laser pulses can be used to image the structure of small molecules with nearly 1 fs temporal and sub-Å spatial resolution. We identify and analyse several physical mechanisms responsible for the distortions of the diffraction image and describe a recipe for recovering an un-distorted image from angle and energy-resolved electron spectra. We also identify holographic patterns in the photoelectron spectra and discuss the requirements to enhancing the hologram resolution for imaging the scattering potential.