On the relativistic theory of tunneling

A relativistic generalization of the semiclassical theory of tunneling and multiphoton ionization of atoms and ions in the field of a high-intensity electromagnetic wave with linear, circular, and elliptic polarization is constructed. The exponential factor in the ionization probability is calculated for arbitrary values of adiabaticity parameter γ. In the case of low-frequency laser radiation, an asymptotically exact formula is derived for the ionization rate of the s atomic level, including the Coulomb, spin, and adiabatic corrections and the preexponential factor.     

Tunneling ionization of Rydberg molecules

The theory of tunneling ionization of atoms is generalized to ionization of symmetric top molecules, either polar or nonpolar. Low-lying excited states of molecules, for which the ordinary Born-Oppenheimer approximation holds, and high-lying excited states, for which the inverse Born-Oppenheimer approximation holds, are discussed. Ionization in a constant external field is analyzed, as is ionization in an alternating field. It is shown that the orientation of the molecule’s axis along the field does not lead to any appreciable increase in the ionization probability as compared to other orientations. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 115–127 (July 1997)     

Impact of the Vibrationally Excited States on the Macroscopic Behaviour of the Band-like Electron Beam Discharge Plasma in H/H2-Mixture

The investigation of the impact of the vibrationally excited molecules in the electronic ground state was performed by simultaneously solving a balance equation system for the main charge carriers, the H atoms, the metastable H atoms, the H₂ molecules in the different vibrational states and for the power transfer of the electrons in the beam discharge mixture plasma. The balance equations for the vibrational states include in particular one-quantum step excitation and deexcitation, electronic excitation, dissociation and ionization from each vibrational level in electron collisions as well as the finite life time of these states because of the gas transfer through the band-like plasma. A main finding is that due to the additional impact of vibrationally excited molecules there is a marked enhancement of the resulting dissociation and ionization degree in the beam discharge plasma at medium power input from the turbulent electric field. For discharge parameters of practical interest the ionization and dissociation budget, the population of the vibrational states, the different energy dissipation processes and the energy pumping into the ladder of the vibrational states were calculated and discussed in detail.     

Doubly charged ions resulting from the multiphoton atomic ionization of alkaline-earth metals

The study of the creation of doubly charged ions upon the laser-induced multiphoton ionization of alkaline-earth metals is reviewed. The results show that the features of the creation of the doubly charged ions depend on the spectral range of the ionizing laser radiation. In the ionization of the alkaline-earth atoms by the visible laser radiation, the cascade creation of the doubly charged ions is predominantly implemented when the ions result from the multiphoton ionization of singly charged ions created in the presence of the same laser pulse. In the multiphoton ionization of the alkaline-earth atoms by the IR laser radiation, the two-electron process occurs when the doubly charged ions are directly created from neutral atoms owing to the ionization via induced resonances with strongly perturbed states of these atoms.     

Imaginary-time method in quantum mechanics and field theory

An imaginary-time method was developed for calculating the probability of particle transmission through smooth barriers variable with time. Within the imaginary-time method, the tunneling process is described by using classical equations of motion written in terms of an imaginary time (t → it), while the probability of tunneling is determined by the imaginary part of the action functional, this imaginary part being calculated along the subbarrier particle trajectory. The fundamentals of the imaginary-time method are surveyed, and its applications in the theory of atomic-state ionization under the effect of constant electric and magnetic fields that have various configurations, in the field of intense monochromatic laser radiation and of an ultrashort electromagnetic pulse, in the process of Lorentz ionization of atoms and ions during their motion in a strong magnetic field, etc., are outlined. The applications of the imaginary-time method in relativistic cases—for example, in the theory of ionization of levels of multiply charged ions whose binding energy is commensurate with the electron rest energy—and in quantum field theory (Schwinger effect, which consists in the production of electron-positron pairs from a vacuum by a superstrong external field) are briefly described. Particular attention is given to methodological issues and details of the imaginary-time method that are of importance in solving specific physics problems, but which are usually skipped in original publications.     

Effect of electrons of the multiply charged ion core on single-electron capture

The population of various electronic states of particles that arise during the capture of a single electron in hydrogen and helium atoms, as well as hydrogen molecules, by Ar³⁺ and Ne³⁺ ions with an energy of several kiloelectronvolts was studied by collision spectroscopy, viz., precision analysis of kinetic energy variation for ions formed as a result of interaction between ions and atoms. It is shown that single-electron capture in many cases is a multielectron process accompanied by the rearrangement of a multiply charged ion core. It is found that the triply charged Ne³⁺ ions formed as a result of ionization of Ne atoms by electron impacts are formed mainly in metastable states. The population of excited states of particles during their multiple ionization should be taken into account in determining the characteristics of various particles by the appearance potential method. Collision spectroscopy can be used for analyzing the metastable ion impurities in ionic beams.     

Relativistic generalization of the Keldysh ionization theory

A relativistic theory of tunneling is developed. Ionization of atoms and ions by a constant crossed field and an ultrashort laser pulse, ionization probability as a function of the adiabaticity parameter and the pulse shape, the limit of the Keldysh nonrelativistic ionization theory, and the photoelectron momentum spectrum are considered. In calculations, the imaginary time method is used.     

Fractional quantum Hall states of atoms in optical lattices

We describe a method to create fractional quantum Hall states of atoms confined in optical lattices. We show that the dynamics of the atoms in the lattice is analogous to the motion of a charged particle in a magnetic field if an oscillating quadrupole potential is applied together with a periodic modulation of the tunneling between lattice sites. In a suitable parameter regime the ground state in the lattice is of the fractional quantum Hall type, and we show how these states can be reached by melting a Mott-insulator state in a superlattice potential. Finally, we discuss techniques to observe these strongly correlated states.     

Effects of the carrier-envelope phase in the multiphoton ionization regime

We theoretically investigate the effects of the carrier-envelope phase of few-cycle laser pulses in the multiphoton ionization regime. For atoms with low ionization potential, total ionization yield barely exhibits phase dependence, as expected. However, population of some bound states clearly shows phase dependence. This implies that the measurement of the carrier-envelope phase would be possible through the photoemission between bound states without energy-and-angle-resolved photoelectron detection. The considered scheme could be particularly useful to measure the carrier-envelope phase for a light source without an amplifier, such as a laser oscillator, which cannot provide sufficient pulse energy to induce tunneling ionization.     

Processes involving a change in the charge states during interactions of He2+ ions with fullerenes

The cross sections for the elementary processes involving a change of the charge states of both particles during the interaction of He²⁺ ions with fullerene molecules are for the first time measured over a broad energy range of electron-volt energies. It is found that processes involving the capture of one or two electrons by the He²⁺ ions are accompanied by additional ionization of the fullerene and that the collisional contribution of the transfer-ionization processes increases with increasing velocity. Single-electron capture is rarely accompanied by fragmentation of the fullerene. Double-electron capture leads, with a higher probability, to fragmentation with the formation of several light charged fragments and, with a smaller probability, to fragmentation with the formation of a heavy charged fragment containing an even number of carbon atoms and light fragments in an uncharged state. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 12–14 (April 1998)     

On the keldysh ionization theory for ultrashort laser pulses

A closed analytical expression is obtained for the momentum distribution of photoelectrons from the ionization of atoms or ions by an ultrashort laser pulse. This formula is applied to analyze some models of electromagnetic pulses and the interference effect in the ionization probability.     

强激光场中模型氢原子和真实氢原子的高次谐波与电离特性研究

利用数值方法求解含时薛定谔方程，研究了一维、二维模型氢原子和真实的三维氢原子在强激光场中产生的高次谐波和电离特性.结果表明，在多光子电离区域和过垒电离区域，模型氢原子与真实的氢原子产生的高次谐波和电离概率差别很小；在隧道电离区域，它们产生的高次谐波的平台特征和截止位置相似，电离概率随时间变化的趋势相近，但其数值有明显的差异.对产生这种差异的原因进行了分析. 关键词： 强激光场 高次谐波 电离概率     

Continuous wave field ionization laser spectroscopy

A new technique is described which allows Doppler-free, isotope-selective excitation of atoms by continuous wave laser radiation and continuous ionization of the atoms by an electric field. The atoms are excited to high Rydberg states in an electric-field-free region of a collimated atomic beam. Because the lifetimes of Rydberg atoms are long they can reach a spatially separated region of the atomic beam where they are ionized by a continuous electric field with a probability of unity. In the case of lithium we obtained a 10³ times larger ion signal by field ionization of Rydberg atoms than by direct photoionization from low excited states.     

Multiphoton and tunneling ionization of atoms in an intense laser field

We study the ionization probabilities of atoms by a short laser pulse with three different theoretical methods,i.e.,the numerical solution of the time-dependent Schro¨dinger equation(TDSE),the Perelomov-Popov-Terent’ev(PPT) theory,and the Ammosov-Delone-Krainov(ADK) theory.Our results show that laser intensity dependent ionization probabilities of several atoms(i.e.,H,He,and Ne) obtained from the PPT theory accord quite well with the TDSE results both in the multiphoton and tunneling ionization regimes,while the ADK results fit well to the TDSE data only in the tunneling ionization regime.Our calculations also show that laser intensity dependent ionization probabilities of a H atom at three different laser wavelengths of 600 nm,800 nm,and 1200 nm obtained from the PPT theory are also in good agreement with those from the TDSE,while the ADK theory fails to give the wavelength dependence of ionization probability.Only when the laser wavelength is long enough,will the results of ADK be close to those of TDSE.     

Relativistic version of the imaginary-time formalism

A relativistic version of the quasiclassical imaginary-time formalism is developed. It permits calculation of the tunneling probability of relativistic particles through potential barriers, including barriers lacking spherical symmetry. Application of the imaginary-time formalism to concrete problems calls for finding subbarrier trajectories which are solutions of the classical equations of motion, but with an imaginary time (and thus cannot be realized in classical mechanics). The ionization probability of an s level, whose binding energy can be of the order of the rest energy, under the action of electric and magnetic fields of different configuration is calculated using the imaginary-time formalism. Besides the exponential factor, the Coulomb and pre-exponential factors in the ionization probability are calculated. The Hamiltonian approach to the tunneling of relativistic particles is described briefly. Scrutiny of the ionization of heavy atoms by an electric field provides an additional argument against the existence of the “Unruh effect.” Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 114, 798–820 (September 1998)     

Tuning of tunneling current noise spectra singularities by localized states charging

We report the results of theoretical investigations of tunneling current noise spectra in a wide range of applied bias voltage. Localized states of individual impurity atoms play an important role in tunneling current noise formation. It was found that switching “on” and “off” of Coulomb interaction of conduction electrons with two charged localized states results in power law singularity of low-frequency tunneling current noise spectrum (1/f ^α) and also results on high frequency component of tunneling current spectra (singular peaks appear). The article is published in the original.     

Many-electron tunneling in atoms

A formula for describing the N-electron ionization of atoms by a dc field and laser radiation in the tunneling regime is derived theoretically, and numerical examples for noble-gas atoms are presented. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 116, 410–417 (August 1999)     

超短强激光脉冲激励甲烷团簇的内电离机理

采用三维粒子动力学模拟方法研究了甲烷团簇在超短强激光脉冲激励下的爆炸动力学行为,重点讨论了几种典型的内电离机理对团簇爆炸过程中离子的价态和动能的影响.研究表明,在激光脉冲强度比较小的情况下,团簇中的原子主要是在光场作用下通过隧道电离的方式发生电离.当激光场进一步增强时,势垒压低电离是电离的主要方式.在相同的较高激光强度下,团簇更容易通过势垒压低电离达到高的电离价态.团簇发生电离后,其内部库仑电场的点火电离效应和内部滞留自由电子的碰撞电离效应也将增强团簇的再次电离过程. 关键词： 超短强激光脉冲 甲烷团簇 内电离     

Photoassociation spectroscopy of cold He(2 3S) atoms

We observe vibrational states by photoassociation spectroscopy of cold He(2 ^{3}S) atoms. Photoassociation resonances are detected as peaks in the Penning ionization rate over a frequency range of 20 GHz below the atomic 2 ^{3}S_{1}-2 ^{3}P_{2} transition frequency. We have observed three vibrational series, of which two can be identified. A possible mechanism to explain the observed increase of the Penning ionization rate is discussed.     

CH_4和CD_4解离吸附的量子含时动力学研究

运用含时波包法 (time -dependentwavepacketmethod) ,对CH4和CD4在光滑静止的Ni( 10 0 )表面的解离吸附进行了量子动力学研究与计算。不同振动态下解离几率随平动能的变化曲线表明 ,反应分子的振动能对分子的解离有重要贡献 ,其反应趋势 ,与其它理论模型得到的结果一致。CH4与CD4解离几率的对数随平动能的变化曲线表明 ,CH4的解离几率比CD4的要高得多 ,这种同位素效应 ,是由它们不同的零点能和量子隧道效应引起的 ,且与实验结果符合得比较好