Multiphoton atomic ionization in the field of a very short laser pulse

Closed analytic expressions are derived for the probability of multiphoton atomic and ionic ionization in a variable electric field ?(t), which are applicable for arbitrary Keldysh parameters γ. Dependencies of the ionization probability and photoelectron pulse spectrum on the shape of a very short laser pulse are analyzed. Examples of pulse fields of various forms, including a modulated light pulse with a Gaussian or Lorentz envelope, are considered in detail. The interference effect in the photoelectron energy spectrum during atomic ionization by a periodic field of a general form is examined. The range of applicability of the adiabatic approximation in the multiphoton ionization theory is discussed. The imaginary time method is used in the calculations, which allows the probability of particle tunneling through oscillating barriers to be effectively calculated.     

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.     

Multiphoton ionization of atoms by a two-color laser pulse

The probability of multiphoton ionization of atoms in a laser radiation field containing an additional second harmonic is calculated by the imaginary time method [9, 10]. The conditions are found when the second-harmonic contribution to the ionization of atoms dominates over that of the first harmonic. It is shown that the average momentum of photoelectrons ejected from atoms depends on the phase shift between the first and second harmonics and their mutual polarization. The obtained asymptotic expressions can be used for the qualitative explanation of experiments on generation of terahertz radiation from the optical breakdown region in gas in the focus of a femtosecond laser.     

Multiphoton ionization and EM field gradient forces

Measurements are reported of the energy of electrons ejected by multiphoton ionization of N₂ and Ar. Electrons with energy > 160 eV were found and the angular distribution using plane polarized light was anisotropic, at least for low electron energies. The data is interpreted in terms of multiphoton ionization followed by acceleration of free electrons by an EM field gradient force.     

Multiphoton free-free transitions in a spatially inhomogeneous laser field

Summary The results of an investigation are presented in which it is shown how the spatial inhomogeneity of a laser field modifies the multiphoton free-free transition cross-sections compared to the case of a homogeneous field. This kind of investigation is required to make more close contact with experiments in intense fields, as in these cases the inhomogeneity is produced by the focusing of the laser beam. Furthermore, taking into account the intensity spatial distribution allows us to achieve in an effective way the asymptotic decoupling of the scattered particles from the field, which is very important for theoretical models using asymptotic initial and final states embedded in the field. Differential and total cross-sections are calculated over a wide range of parameters as functions of the scattering angle, of the incoming-particle energy and of the laser intensity and frequency. The laser spatial inhomogeneity is found to wash out most of the oscillating behaviour of multiphoton differential cross-sections, derived within the model of a homogeneous laser. Little modifications are, instead, found in the total cross-sections which are simply scaled to slightly lower values. Crosssections with zero photon exchange are increased, while those with photon exchanges are lowered. This yields the result that the sum of all the ≪inhomogeneous≫ cross-sections is equal to the sum of all the ≪homogeneous≫ ones (sum rule). The multiphoton free-free transition differential cross-sections are found to be very sensitive quantities which may be used to get information on the laser properties and on their nonlinear behaviour, when these are not precisely known. To speed up publication, the authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction.     

Multiphoton ionization yield curves for gaussian laser beams

Yield curves for non-resonant multiphoton ionization have been calculated for gaussian laser beams focussed with spherical and cylindrical lenses. These curves are useful in obtaining absolute cross-section values.     

Blue emission in Ti-sapphire laser crystals

The time resolved emission spectrum of the blue band of Ti:sapphire laser crystal has been investigated as a function of temperature (range 10–290 K) and UV (266 nm) laser excitation intensity. Two blue emission bands, centred at 420 nm and 460 nm, have been detected. The 420 nm band is attributed to Ti⁴⁺ centres whereas the 460 nm one is proposed to be due to Ti³⁺ ions. The evolution of the emission spectrum vs the UV excitation intensity has shown that the concentration of Ti⁴⁺ centres is increased under UV irradiation at the cost of the centres responsible for the 460 nm band.     

Multiphoton ionization of the hydrogen atom by a circularly polarized electromagnetic field

This paper examines the multiphoton ionization of the ground state of the hydrogen atom in the field of a circularly polarized intense electromagnetic wave. To describe the states of photoelectrons, quasiclassical wave functions are introduced that partially allow for the effect of an intense electromagnetic wave and that of the Coulomb potential. Expressions are derived for the angular and energy distributions of photoelectrons with energies much lower than the ionization potential of an unperturbed atom. It is found that, due to allowance for the Coulomb potential in the wave function of the final electron states, the transition probability near the ionization threshold tends to a finite value. In addition, the well-known selection rules for multiphoton transitions in a circularly polarized electromagnetic field are derived in a natural way. Finally, the results are compared with those obtained in the Keldysh-Faisal-Reiss approximation. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 116, 807–820 (September 1999)     

激光场中类氢原子的电离本征值

光场下类氢原子的Schrdinger方程可用缀饰势方法求解.波动方程展开为Floquet分波后,可以得到弱光场或强光场下近似的径向波函数和复的电离本征值,然后计算了共振能量和半宽度.     

Lithium ionization by a strong laser field

We study ab initio computations of the interaction of lithium with a strong laser field. Numerical solutions of the time-dependent fully correlated three-particle Schrodinger equation restricted to the one-dimensional soft-core approximation are presented. Our results show a clear transition from nonsequential to sequential double ionization for increasing intensities. Nonsequential double ionization is found to be sensitive to the spin configuration of the ionized pair. This asymmetry, also found in experiments of photoionization of Li with synchrotron radiation, shows evidence of the influence of the exclusion principle on the underlying rescattering mechanism.     

Multiphoton resonant ionization of hydrogen atom exposed to two-colour laser pulses

This paper studies the multiphoton resonant ionization by two-colour laser pulses in the hydrogen atom by solving the time-dependent Schroedinger equation. By fixing the parameters of fundamental laser field and scanning the frequency of second laser field, it finds that the ionization probability shows several resonance peaks and is also much larger than the linear superposition of probabilities by applying two lasers separately. The enhancement of the ionization happens when the system is resonantly pumped to the excited states by absorbing two or more colour photons non-sequentially.     

Multiphoton double ionization of barium

The multiphoton double ionization of Ba from ~280 to 700 nm was investigated using laser pulses 5 ns long of peak intensity ~10¹⁰ W/cm². The spectrum consists of a number of strong resonances, which can be assigned to Ba⁺ transitions. Most of the assignments have been verified by pump-probe techniques. Thus, the Ba⁺⁺ observed is due to sequential ionization. The multiphoton ionization probability is highest for λ~500 nm, which matches a series of strong Ba and Ba⁺ transitions leading to double ionization     

Mechanism of delayed double ionization in a strong laser field

When intense laser pulses release electrons nonsequentially, the time delay between the last recollision and the subsequent ionization may last longer than what is expected from a direct impact scenario [recollision excitation with subsequent ionization (RESI)]. We show that the resulting delayed ionization stems from the inner electron being promoted to a sticky region. We identify the mechanism that traps and releases the electron from this region. As a signature of this mechanism, we predict oscillations in the ratio of RESI to double ionization yields versus laser intensity.     

Multiphoton ionization spectra in lithium vapour

The two-photon absorption spectrum to high-lying states of Li vapour has been obtained using ion-cell detection. ²S states are observed to n = 32 and the ²D series to n = 49. Simple heating techniques circumvented the problem of absorption by the blue-green band system of Li₂ which overlaps the series limit at 4600 Å. The order of the ionization process was examined and found to vary as the square of the laser intensity for two-photon transitions. A conflict with data obtained with a space-charge-limited diode is examined and possible ionization mechanisms are discussed.     

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.