Probing molecular dynamics at attosecond resolution with femtosecond laser pulses

The kinetic energy distribution of D+ ions resulting from the interaction of a femtosecond laser pulse with D2 molecules is calculated based on the rescattering model. From analyzing the molecular dynamics, it is shown that the recollision time between the ionized electron and the D+2 ion can be read from the D+ kinetic energy peaks to attosecond accuracy. We further suggest that a more precise reading of the clock can be achieved by using shorter fs laser pulses (about 15 fs).     

Direct XUV probing of attosecond electron recollision

We demonstrate that the recolliding electron wave packet, fundamental to many strong field phenomena, can be directly imaged with sub-A spatial and attosecond temporal resolution using attosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulses. When the recolliding electron revisits the parent ion, it can absorb an XUV photon yielding high energy electron and thereby providing a measurement of the electron energy at the moment of recollision. The full temporal evolution of the recollision wave packet can be reconstructed by measuring the photoelectron spectra for different time delays between the driving laser and the attosecond XUV probe. The strength of the photoelectron signal can be used to characterize the spatial distribution of the electron density in the longitudinal direction. Elliptical polarization can be used to characterize the electron probability in transversal direction.     

碰撞阈值下氩原子非次序双电离

利用三维经典系综模型研究了碰撞阈值下氩原子的非次序双电离.计算结果表明,关联电子末态纵向动量主要分布在二、四象限,且在原点附近几乎没有分布;Ar²⁺离子末态纵向动量谱在零动量附近呈单峰结构.上述结果与实验结果 定量一致.轨迹分析表明,在碰撞阈值下,氩原子非次序双电离的微观物理机理在不同激光强度下是不相同的.当激光强度I=0.7×10¹⁴ W/cm²时,一次碰撞主导重碰撞过程.而当I=0.4×10^{14关键词： 非次序双电离 库仑引力 碰撞阈值 电子关联}     

Extension of high-order harmonic cutoff frequency by synthesizing the waveform of a laser field via the optimization of classical electron trajectory in the laser field

We theoretically investigate high-order harmonic generation by employing strong-field approximation （SFA） and present a new approach to the extension of the high-order harmonic cutoff frequency via an exploration of the dependence of high-order harmonic generation on the waveform of laser fields. The dependence is investigated via detailed analysis of the classical trajectories of the ionized electron moving in the continuum in the velocity-position plane. The classical trajectory consists of three sections （Acceleration Away, Deceleration Away, and Acceleration Back）, and their relationship with the electron recollision energy is investigated. The analysis of classical trajectories indicates that, besides the final （Acceleration Back） section, the electron recollision energy also relies on the previous two sections. We simultaneously optimize the waveform in all three sections to increase the electron recollision energy, and an extension of the cutoff frequency up to Ip ＋ 20.26Up is presented with a theoretically synthesized waveform of the laser field.     

Recollision during the High Laser Intensity Ionization of C60

Through C60, we address the role of electron recollision in the nonresonant, femtosecond laser ionization of large, highly polarizable molecules. We show how the electron trajectories are influenced by the laser field, the laser induced dipole field, and the Coulomb field of the ion core. Working at long wavelengths we observe recollision in C60 through the ellipticity dependence of the fragmentation it produces. The ionizing electron emerges from C60z+ (z = 3, 4) with a lateral velocity of approximately 12 angstroms/fs, approximately half its Fermi velocity. Despite the large lateral velocity and competing forces on the electron, recollision remains relatively probable for this scale of molecule.     

Double layers and ion phase-space holes in the auroral upward-current region

The dynamic evolution of the boundary between the ionosphere and auroral cavity is studied using 1D and 2D kinetic Vlasov simulations. The initial distributions of three singly ionized species (H+, O+, e-) are determined from space-based observations on both sides of an inferred strong double layer. The kinetic simulations reproduce features of parallel electric fields, electron distributions, ion distributions, and wave turbulence seen in satellite observations in the auroral upward-current region and, for the first time, demonstrate that auroral acceleration can be driven by a parallel electric field supported, in part, by a quasistable, strong double layer. In addition, the simulations verify that the streaming interaction between accelerated O+ and H+ populations continuously replenished by the double layer provides the free energy for the persistent formation of ion phase-space holes.     

同位素分子对高次谐波产率的影响

利用含时波包加上傅里叶变换方法研究强激光场中不同同位素分子对高次谐波产率的影响。运用电子与核运动的相干量子力学方法得到了电离电子与正离子的碰撞几率。通过对三种同位素分子H2,D2和T2的碰撞几率分布的对比,发现在前三个光周期内电离电子会多次返回与正离子发生碰撞,但是对应不同同位素分子的碰撞几率的最大值都出现在第一个光周期中。在后两个光周期内三种分子的碰撞几率分布表明较重同位素分子T2对应的碰撞几率最大。通过对三种同位素分子电离率的计算发现同位素分子中较重分子的电离率较高,而电离率越大高次谐波产率越大。因此,在同等条件下,重同位素分子对应较高的高次谐波产率。     

Fully differential rates for femtosecond multiphoton double ionization of neon

We have investigated the full three-dimensional momentum correlation between the electrons emitted from strong field double ionization of neon when the recollision energy of the first electron is on the order of the ionization potential. The momentum correlation in the direction perpendicular to the laser field depends on the time difference of the two electrons leaving the ion. Our results are consistent with double ionization proceeding through transient double excited states that field ionize.     

Transition from strong-field sequential to nonsequential double ionization at near-infrared wavelengths and low intensities

Within a quantum-mechanical model, we investigate strong-field double ionization of a model helium atom by near-infrared, linearly polarized laser pulses at intensities far below the recollision threshold. The quantum simulations show a clear mechanism change from sequential to nonsequential double ionization (NSDI) as the laser intensity increases. For NSDI, the two-electron correlated momentum distribution exhibits a strong final-state Coulomb repulsion effect for high-energy photoelectrons, but absent for low-energy photoelectrons. This repulsion effect is ascribed to field double ionization from doubly-excited states populated by recollision of the first ionized electron when it returns to the parent ion. Such recollision-induced excited states are absent at ultraviolet wavelengths due to the very low returning kinetic energies, resulting to the absence of final-state repulsion effect in NSDI.     

强场非次序双电离中再碰撞动力学的强度依赖

利用三维经典系综模型系统地研究了不同强度线偏振激光脉冲驱动下He原子的非次序双电离.结果表明在非次序双电离中回碰电子的返回次数、两电子的碰撞距离和电子对的关联特性都强烈地依赖于激光强度.对于750 nm,随着激光强度的增加,单次返回诱导的非次序双电离事件逐渐减少,而多次返回事件的比例显著增加.对于1500 nm,随着激光强度的增加,前三次返回诱导的非次序双电离事件都会减少,返回次数大于3的轨道对非次序双电离的贡献逐渐增加.这是因为在高强度下每次返回过程中母核的库仑吸引对返回电子横向偏离的补偿较弱,所以需要更多次的返回来补偿电子的横向偏离以实现再碰撞.轨道分析表明非次序双电离中两电子的碰撞距离随激光波长和强度的增加而逐渐减小.最后讨论了非次序双电离中电子对的关联特性对返回次数的依赖.