LAUSR

Strong-field ionization of nonlinear planar triatomic molecules by a bicircular laser field is analyzed within the improved molecular strong-field approximation. Our calculations include additional interaction between the liberated electrons and atomic or ionic centers of the parent molecular ion. The used bicircular field consists of two counterrotating circularly polarized fields having angular frequencies $$r \omega$$rω and $$s \omega$$sω, with integer r and s. In the case when the laser-field-polarization plane is parallel to the plane of the considered molecule (example of ozone molecule is analyzed), the corresponding photoelectron spectra are not rotationally symmetric. On the other hand, when these planes are mutually perpendicular, for the $$(r\omega ,s\omega )=(\omega ,3\omega )$$(rω,sω)=(ω,3ω) bicircular field, the electron spectra satisfy the corresponding rotational symmetries. Analyzing the obtained spectra and the corresponding symmetries, one can extract information about molecular orientation and structure. This technique may also be useful for more complex polyatomic molecules.