The effect of the argon carrier gas in the multiphoton dissociation-ionization of tetracene

The multiphoton dissociation-ionization of tetracene at 355 nm using 6.5 nanosecond laser pulses, with and without argon as a carrier gas (CG), has been studied and compared. Ion fragments were analyzed in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer and separated according to their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). The results show that the dynamic of photodissociation at approximately 10(10) W cm(-2) intensities is strongly influenced by the CG. The suppression of fragmentation channels primarily those relating to the formation of the CH(m) (+) (m = 2, 4), C(2)H(4) (+) and C(5)H(4) (+2) ions. CH(5) (+) and CH(6) (+) were observed which have not been reported before in photodissociation tetracene experiments.