Strong-field ionization of alcohols: An electron spectroscopic study of ionization dynamics

Electron spectroscopy is used to probe the transition between the multiphoton ionization and tunneling ionization regimes upon ionization of methanol, ethanol and 1-propanol by 100 fs long strong optical pulses. Structured electron spectra are obtained in the multiphoton regime while broad, featureless spectra dominate the tunneling ionization regime. The alcohol molecules appear to exhibit atom-like properties.