Multiphoton double ionization of Ar in intense extreme ultraviolet laser fields studied by shot-by-shot photoelectron spectroscopy

Photoelectron spectroscopy has been performed to study the multiphoton double ionization of Ar in an intense extreme ultraviolet laser field (hν ～ 21 eV, ～ 5 TW/cm2), by using a free electron laser (FEL). Three distinct peaks identified in the observed photoelectron spectra clearly show that the double ionization proceeds sequentially via the formation of Ar(+): Ar+hν→Ar (+) + e? and Ar2(+) + 2hν→Ar(+) + e?. Shot-by-shot recording of the photoelectron spectra allows simultaneous monitoring of FEL spectrum and the multiphoton process for each FEL pulse, revealing that the two-photon ionization from Ar(+) is significantly enhanced by intermediate resonances in Ar(+).     

Effect of electron excitation in nonsequential double ionization by intense laser fields

We study the double ionization process of atoms in intense laser fields. The momentum distributions of the correlated electrons are calculated. Contrary to the general expectation, we show an increasing proportion of the electrons ionized via excitation with the increasing laser intensity. These electrons generally have small energy thus they concentratedly distribute on the central region of the momentum diagram. Consequently, the central part of the momentum diagram becomes more notable in higher intensity laser fields. Further study suggests that this phenomenon is general in double ionization.     

Nonsequential double recombination in intense laser fields

A second plateau in the harmonic spectra of laser-driven two-electron atoms is observed both in the numerical solution of a low-dimensional model helium atom and using an extended strong field approximation. It is shown that the harmonics well beyond the usual cutoff are due to the simultaneous recombination of the two electrons, which were emitted during different, previous half-cycles. The new cutoff is explained in terms of classical trajectories. Classical predictions and the time-frequency analysis of the ab initio quantum results are in excellent agreement. The mechanism corresponds to the inverse single photon double ionization process in the presence of a (low frequency) laser field.     

Enhanced recollisions for antisymmetric molecular orbitals in intense laser fields

The peculiarities of antisymmetric molecular orbitals are investigated in very intense linearly polarized laser pulses. For this purpose, the ionization-recollision quantum dynamics is evaluated theoretically beyond the dipole approximation. As opposed to the usual situation, the laser magnetic field component is found to strongly enhance recollision probabilities for particularly oriented antisymmetric molecular orbitals. Harmonic generation and related processes are thus allowed at high laser intensities without the common limitations by the laser magnetic field.     

Enhanced ionization of perpendicularly aligned H2 in intense laser fields

Using three-dimensional classical ensembles, we have investigated the enhancement of double ionization of perpendicularly aligned H₂ molecules by a 800 nm laser pulse with intensity ranging from 1 × 10¹⁴ W/cm² to 6 × 10¹⁴ W/cm². The simulated results show that double ionization probability of H₂ strongly depends on R and reaches a maximum at an intensity independent critical distance R_C ≈ 5 a.u. Furthermore, the enhancement of double ionization is more pronounced in the cases of weaker or stronger fields. These results, a well indication of the influence of molecular structures and laser–molecule interactions on double ionization of diatomic molecules, are analyzed in detail and qualitatively explained based on the field-induced barrier suppression model and back analysis.     

Electronic and optical properties of asymmetric GaAs double quantum dots in intense laser fields

In the present work, we investigated the effect of an intense non-resonant laser field on the electronic structure and the nonlinear optical properties (the light absorption, the optical rectification) of a GaAs asymmetric double quantum dot under a strong probe field excitation. The calculations were performed within the compact-density matrix formalism under the steady state conditions with the use of the effective mass approximation. The obtained results show that: (i) the electronic structure and, consequently, the optical properties are sensitive to the dressed potential; (ii) the changes in the incident light polarisation lead to blue or redshifts in the intraband optical absorption spectrum; (iii) for specific values of the structure parameters and under an intense laser illumination, the asymmetric double quantum dots can be a good candidate for NOR emission of THz radiation.     

线型三原子分子在强激光场中多光子激发的李代数方法

使用二次非谐振子模型和Magnus近似方法构造了在强激光场下线型三原子分子的振动哈密顿并推导出时间演化算符的代数形式,在此基础上研究了线型DCN分子的跃迁几率随外场的频率和强度的变化关系,表明了多光子跃迁谱的特点.     

Multistep ionization of argon clusters in intense femtosecond extreme ultraviolet pulses

The interaction of intense extreme ultraviolet femtosecond laser pulses (lambda = 32.8 nm) from the FLASH free electron laser (FEL) with clusters has been investigated by means of photoelectron spectroscopy and modeled by Monte Carlo simulations. For laser intensities up to 5x10(13) W/cm(2), we find that the cluster ionization process is a sequence of direct electron emission events in a developing Coulomb field. A nanoplasma is formed only at the highest investigated power densities where ionization is frustrated due to the deep cluster potential. In contrast with earlier studies in the IR and vacuum ultraviolet spectral regime, we find no evidence for electron emission from plasma heating processes.     

强激光场中真空极化效应

 通过求解狄拉克方程,对强激光场下真空极化问题进行了研究。理论计算结果表明：在仅随时间变化的电场下,要激发狄拉克海中负能级的电子,需要两个阈值条件,即激光场的电场强度大于等于10¹⁶ V/cm和激光场的持续时间大于等于10^-21 s。前者主要保证负能态电子有足够的能量跃迁到正能态,后者主要是保证电子在跃迁过程中动量亏损得以补偿。     

强激光场中真空极化效应

通过求解狄拉克方程,对强激光场下真空极化问题进行了研究。理论计算结果表明：在仅随时间变化的电场下,要激发狄拉克海中负能级的电子,需要两个阈值条件,即激光场的电场强度大于等于1016 V/cm和激光场的持续时间大于等于10-21 s。前者主要保证负能态电子有足够的能量跃迁到正能态,后者主要是保证电子在跃迁过程中动量亏损得以补偿。     

Xenon clusters in intense VUV laser fields

A simple model is developed that quantitatively describes intense interactions of a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) laser pulse with a xenon cluster. We find good agreement with a recent experiment [Nature (London) 420, 482 (2002)]]. In particular, the large number of VUV photons absorbed per atom, at intensities significantly below 10(16) W/cm(2), is now understood.     

Dissociative ionization of molecules in intense laser fields

Accurate and efficient grid based techniques for the solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for few-electron diatomic molecules irradiated by intense, ultrashort laser pulses are described. These are based on hybrid finite-difference, Lagrange mesh techniques. The methods are applied in three scenarios, namely H₂ ⁺ with fixed internuclear separation, H₂ ⁺ with vibrating nuclei and H₂ with fixed internuclear separation and illustrative results presented.Received: 19 November 2002, Published online: 24 April 2003PACS: 02.60.Cb Numerical simulation; solution of equations - 02.70.Bf Finite-difference methods - 33.80.Rv Multiphoton ionization and excitation to highly excited states (e.g., Rydberg states) - 33.80.-b Photon interactions with molecules     

Stabilization of hydrogen atom in intense laser fields

The stabilization of real hydrogen atom rather than the model under the influence of high frequency superstrong laser pulse is investigated by numerical integration of time-dependent Schrödinger equation. The target wavefunctions are expanded in terms of a discrete L² basis. The evidence of stabilization as found by Su et al. for 1D model atom using the split operator technique has been confirmed for the hydrogen atom using L² technique.     

Photoemission mechanisms of methane in intense laser fields

The visible and near-UV emission spectroscopy of methane(CH4) induced by a femtosecond intense laser field(800 nm, 40 fs, 1014W∕cm2) is studied. By measuring the decay profiles of the neutral fragment product CH(A2Δ→ X2Π), two reaction pathways, i.e., the electron-ion recombination through e-t CHt4 and the direct disintegration of CHt4 are found to be responsible for populating the electronic excited states of the neutral fragment product CH, which gives rise to the photoemissions. Our results provide complementary information on previous understanding of the strong-field-induced photoemission mechanism of CH4 through neutral dissociation of superexcited states.     

Time-resolved transmission of GaAs under intense laser excitation

Time-resolved transmission and reflectivity of bulk GaAs and GaAs on sapphire have been studied at λ = 1152 and 633 nm following excitation by an ≈8 ns pulse at 485 nm. As in the case of silicon, the spectral dependence of the transient absorption coefficient, from 1.1 eV to 2.5 eV, is inconsistent with the existence of a metallic molten state during pulsed laser annealing.     

Saturated ionization of fullerenes in intense laser fields

We investigate the ionization of icosahedral fullerenes (C20, C60, C80, and C180) in an intense laser pulse using the S-matrix theory. The results obtained are in excellent agreement with the recent observations of unexpectedly high saturation intensities of the Buckminster fullerene and its multiply charged ions. Our analysis strongly suggests that the related phenomenon of suppressed ionization of these complex fullerenes is due to the finite cage size and the "multislit" interference effect between partial waves emitted from the different nuclei rather than to a dynamical multielectron polarization effect.     

Radiative heating of thin Al foils by intense extreme ultraviolet radiation

The effect of induced transparency of thin Al foils radiatively heated by intense extreme ultraviolet (EVU) radiation has been observed. The radiation of the plasma of Z-pinches appearing under the compression of tungsten liners at the Angara-5-1 facility has been used as the radiation that heats the Al foil (peak illumination on the foil ~0.55 TW/cm²) and is transmitted through it. The photoabsorption has been studied in the formed aluminum plasma at temperatures of ~10–30 eV in the density range of ~1–20 mg/cm³ in the wavelength range of ~5–24 nm. Absorption lines of Al^4+...7+ ions have been identified in the experimental spectrum. In addition, radiative gas-dynamic simulations of the foil heating and expansion have been performed taking into account radiation transfer processes.     

Energy-gap distortion in solids under intense laser fields

We discuss, within the framework of the nearly-free electron model, the influence of an intense laser field on the motion of an electron in the effective lattice potential. It is shown that, for moderately intense fields, the band gap decreases linearly with increasing laser intensity.