Subcycle dynamics in the laser ionization of molecules

The time and momentum distributions of electron emission from a molecule during a single laser cycle are calculated by solving a two-dimensional time-dependent Schrödinger equation. The momentum distributions strongly depend on the orbital symmetry and orientation of the molecular axis. Field-induced internal dynamics of the molecule can shift electron emission and recollision times through a large part of the laser cycle, which leads to corresponding variations of high-harmonic emission times and to the appearance of even harmonics.