Comparison of kinetic-energy distributions and ionic fragment yields of ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ and ${\mathrm{N}}_2$O arising from Coulomb explosions induced by multiphoton ionization and fast-ion impact

The comparison of kinetic-energy distributions and ionic fragment yields produced from ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ and ${\mathrm{N}}_2$O in fast-ion collisions and multiphoton ionization reveals three comparative and distinguishing features of the interactions. They are (i) similarities in the ${\mathrm{O}}^{\mathit{q}+}$ (specifically ${\mathrm{O}}^{3+}$) energy distributions from ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ arising from correspondingly similar magnitudes of the peak electric fields occurring in the interactions, (ii) a strongly dissimilar pattern of site-dependent ionization as observed in ${\mathrm{N}}_2$O, and (iii) a marked similarity in the production of anomalously energetic ${\mathrm{C}}^{2+}$ ions arising from high-lying ${\mathrm{CO}}^{2+}$ precursors having a substantial charge-transfer character.