Inelastic processes in the interaction of an atom with an ultrashort electromagnetic pulse

Electron transitions occurring during the interaction of a heavy relativistic atom with a spatially inhomogeneous ultrashort electromagnetic pulse are considered by solving the Dirac equation. The corresponding transition probabilities are expressed in terms of known inelastic atomic form factors, which are widely used in the theory of relativistic collisions between charged particles and atoms. By way of example, the inelastic processes accompanying the interaction of ultrashort pulses with hydrogen-like atoms are considered. The probabilities of ionization and production of a bound-free electron-positron pair on a bare nucleus, which are accompanied by the formation of a hydrogen-like atom in the final state and a positron in the continuum, are calculated. The developed technique makes it possible to take into account exactly not only the spatial inhomogeneity of an ultrashort electromagnetic pulse, but also the magnetic interaction.     

Scattering of an ultrashort electromagnetic radiation pulse by an atom in a broad spectral range

The scattering of an ultrashort electromagnetic pulse by atomic particles is described using a consistent quantum-mechanical approach taking into account excitation of a target and nondipole electromagnetic interaction, which is valid in a broad spectral range. This approach is applied to the scattering of single- and few-cycle pulses by a multielectron atom and a hydrogen atom. Scattering spectra are obtained for ultrashort pulses of different durations. The relative contribution of “elastic” scattering of a single-cycle pulse by a hydrogen atom is studied in the high-frequency limit as a function of the carrier frequency and scattering angle.     

Electron transitions and the spectrum of radiation emitted by an atom interacting with an ultrashort electromagnetic pulse

Electron transitions and the spectrum of radiation emitted by an atom interacting with an ultrashort electromagnetic pulse are studied based on the sudden perturbation approximation. The excitation and ionization probabilities, the spectra of pulse reradiation by the atom, and the reradiation cross sections are calculated. It is concluded that the reradiation of ultrashort electromagnetic pulses by multielectron atoms is of a coherent nature.     

Self-consistent equations for the interaction of an atom with an electromagnetic field of arbitrary intensity

A system of equations is suggested for the interaction of an atom with an electromagnetic field of arbitrary intensity. The distinctive feature of the equations is that, in the absence of the field, the electron density in the atom is determined by the Schrödinger equation and, in the presence of the field, by the equation resembling the classical equation for an electron in the Lorentz force field.     

Resonant interaction between intense electromagnetic waves during ionization of an atom

Resonant interaction through the continuum between two intense electromagnetic waves of different frequencies during ionization of an atom is considered. A general solution of the problem is found by using a procedure based on the application of the Laplace transform to the equations for the time-dependent amplitudes of the probability. When one of the EM waves is considerably weaker than the other, the dynamics of the absorption of light by an atom are investigated, and a final value for the ionization probability in the illumination region is found.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 1, pp. 63–70, January, 1978.     

Electron transitions as a result of interaction between a heavy ion and an ultrashort electromagnetic pulse

The electron transitions arising when a heavy relativistic ion interacts with a spatially nonuniform ultrashort electromagnetic pulse are studied by solving the Dirac equation, and expressions for the excitation and ionization probabilities are derived. One-electron inelastic processes that accompany the interaction between the ultrashort pulses and hydrogen-like atoms are considered by way of example. The approach developed in this article makes it possible to accurately include the spatial nonuniformity of the ultrashort pulse field.     

Response of an atom interacting with an arbitrarily polarized electromagnetic field

We develop the theory of interaction of the electromagnetic field and a single atom being in an arbitrary state and having an arbitrary direction of the angular momentum of the atomic electron with respect to the direction of the field polarization vector. It is shown that the atom response current has a tensor structure and depends on both the direction of the angular momentum of the atom, and the polarization vector of the external field. The tensor character of the response is determined by the externally induced anisotropic distribution of the probability density of spatial localization of the atomic electron. It is shown that the induced-anisotropy effects clarify the harmonic generation mechanism at play during the non-resonance interaction of laser radiation with atomic media. The developed theory is applied to the analysis of the problem about the generation of terahertz waves in a two-color laser field. It is shown that the change in the mutual orientation of wave polarization vectors leads to a significant increase in the efficiency of conversion of high-frequency fields to low-frequency ones. It is shown for the first time that the generation of terahertz waves is possible in the preionization regime, when the generation mechanism is related to atomic nonlinearity.     

Ionization of two-electron atom in ultrashort laser pulse

The method of numerical integration of the classical equations of motion was used to study interaction of a model two-electron atom with ultrashort laser pulses. Mechanisms and specific features of the ionization process were analyzed in a broad range of laser-field parameters.     

A new representation of the interaction between an atom and an intense elliptically polarized electromagnetic field

A new representation of the interaction between a laser field and an atom is obtained. The Fourier component of the interaction is represented as a multipole expansion dependent on the force parameter of the field, a ₀=F/ω², and the degree of its ellipticity, η. This representation provides the analytical separation of the angles in the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. The stationary spherically symmetric part of the potential V ₀(r, a ₀, η) of a “field-dressed” atom is singled out. The application of the new representation to the calculation of nonlinear effects and electron scattering by an atom in a field are discussed     

Model of a quantum dot coherently interacting with an ultrashort pulse of electromagnetic radiation

Based on a model of strong coupling for two electrons that are localized inside a quantum dot characterized by only two levels of size quantization, a set of equations is derived, which allows one to describe coherent transient processes in an ensemble of isolated dots. This set of equations is a generalization of the Bloch equations, which are used in studying the processes occurring under the action of ultrashort pulses of electromagnetic interaction. The model obtained is reduced to the model of two-level atoms only if radiation is circularly polarized.     

Lattice deformation from interaction with electrons heated by an ultrashort laser pulse

We propose a model describing the destruction of metals under ultrashort intense laser pulses when heated electrons affect the lattice through the direct electron-phonon interaction. The metal consists of hot electrons and a cool lattice. The lattice deformation is estimated immediately after the laser pulse up to the electron temperature relaxation time. The hot electrons are described with help of the Boltzmann and heat conduction equations. We use an equation of motion for the lattice displacements with the electron force included. Estimates of the lattice deformation show that the ablation regime can be achieved. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 66, No. 3, 195–199 (10 August 1997) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.     

Study of correlation effects during reemission of ultrashort electromagnetic pulses by the helium atom

The calculation of the energy of the ground state of atoms is the criterion for the correctness of compact analytical atomic wave functions. However, such a test is in fact static. We studied the degree of taking into account electron correlations in various simple analytical wave functions in the dynamic process of reemission by the helium atom of ultrashort pulses of an electromagnetic field. Direct guidelines are given on the use of particular analytical wave functions, which can be helpful in simple calculations and estimations of dynamic processes.     

Inelastic processes and interference effects during the interaction of positronium with ultrashort electromagnetic pulses

The excitation, breakup, and reradiation during the interaction of a positronium atom with ultrashort electromagnetic pulses are considered. The probabilities of inelastic processes and reradiation spectra have been obtained. The interference between the amplitudes of the photon emission by the electron and positron is shown to contribute noticeably to the reradiation spectra. The developed approach is applicable for describing the interaction of positronium with ultrashort pulses of attosecond or shorter duration.     

Excitation of an atom by a nonmonochromatic electromagnetic field

The time evolution of the process of excitation of an atom in the field of a laser wave is considered. It is shown that there exist three stages of relaxation. The first stage carries the most complete information about the mechanism of the interaction of the field with material inside the laser source.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 6, pp. 23–27, June, 1981.     

超短超强激光实验伴生电磁脉冲的模拟研究

靶室腔体谐振产生的电磁辐射是超短超强激光与靶相互作用实验中生成的电磁脉冲(EMP)来源之一。基于有限元分析方法,对靶室腔谐振产生电磁脉冲和电磁脉冲通过窗口向外传播这两个过程进行仿真模拟。前者模拟获得空腔和含结构模型谐振时特征磁场,结果显示内部结构对电磁场强度分布和谐振频率有显著影响;后者模拟结果显示,窗口外侧电场强度比窗口内侧高约40%,而且电磁脉冲传播到靶室外后呈球面波形式扩散并衰减。对电磁脉冲的强度衰减规律进行了分析,得到该衰减曲线的拟合函数。     

Effect of the state of a quantized electromagnetic field on the interaction with an atom with allowance for the continuum

This paper studies the effect of a transition into the continuous spectrum on the “collapse” and “revival” of population oscillations in an atom. It is shown that at large values of the mean number of photons in a radiation field and in conditions of weak ionization the phenomena of collapse and revival can still be observed, but the amplitude of population oscillations decreases exponentially because of the damping of the level. The interaction of a quantized electromagnetic field with a Λ system of an atom when one state is continuous is examined. Expressions are derived for the probability of “survival” of the atom when the quantized field was initially in a state with a given number of photons and when it was in a coherent state. An approximate calculation of the sum in averaging over the photon number distribution in the case of a coherent field leads to expressions for the probabilities of survival of the atom that transform into expressions, as the mean number of photons tends to infinity, corresponding to the case of a field in the representation of a fixed number of photons. The possibility of a stable state existing in a coherent quantized field is examined. It is found that for a Λ system the condition for the existence of a stable state remains valid in the case of a coherent state of the field when the photon number is large. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 113, 1193–1205 (April 1998)     

The interaction of an atom with a sub-Poissonian single field mode

The resonant interaction of a single atom with a single quantized field mode characterized by sub-Poissonian statistics is compared with its interaction with a coherent field mode. Two models are considered: the Jaynes-Cummings model (JCM) and the Raman-coupled model (RCM). Quadrature squeezing variances and photon number uncertainties are evaluated. In the JCM, sub-Poissonian field statistics lead to longer collapse times and more complete revivals than Poissonian statistics. In the RCM, which is characterized by periodic collapses and revivals, the collapse time is longer for sub-Poissonian fields.This work was supported in part by the UK Science and Engineering Research Council.     

Ionization and stabilization of an atom in a quantum electromagnetic field

The dynamics of a model atomic system interacting with a quantum electromagnetic field has been investigated. The effect of statistics and average number of photons in a quantum state of the field on the ionization and stabilization of the atomic subsystem has been studied. The formation of a state with the maximum entanglement between the atomic and field subsystems in the case of interaction with a single-photon field has been demonstrated.