Electron correlations in nonsequential double ionization of argon atoms by elliptically polarized laser pulses

Using a classical ensemble model, we investigate the correlation behaviour of electrons originating from nonsequential double ionization (NSDI) of argon atoms by the elliptically polarized laser pulses. Because of the ellipticity, not only the first electron to return but also the later return of tunneled electrons contribute significantly to NSDI. We mainly discuss two kinds of events of NSDI originating from the first and the second return separately. For the NSDI resulting from the recollision of the first return, the correlated electron momentum spectrum along the long axis of the laser polarization plane reveals an obvious V-like shape, located at the first and third quadrant. However, for the NSDI resulting from the recollision of the second return, the momenta of two electrons are distributed in the four quadrants uniformly. By analysing the trajectories of these two kinds, we find that the recollision energy and the laser phase at recollision are different for the first and second returning trajectories, which are responsible for the difference in the correlated behavior of the final electron momentum.     

氦原子非次序双电离对正交双色场强度比的依赖关系

利用经典系综模型研究了正交双色场中氦原子非次序双电离对双色场强度比的依赖关系.研究表明, 该依赖关系与双色场相对相位φ 有关. φ =0.25π 时,沿长波长激光偏振方向的相关动量谱随强度比的增大从相关模式转变为反相关模式. φ =0.35π, 0.45π 时,相关动量主要分布在第一和第三象限,相关模式几乎不随强度比的变化而变化.对双电离轨迹碰撞时间、碰撞角、碰撞动量的向后分析可以解释上述结果,并显示了正交双色场对非次序双电离中碰撞时间、碰撞角的控制作用.     

Effect of elliptical polarizations on nonsequential double ionization in two-color elliptically polarized laser fields

Using the classical ensemble model, we investigate the nonsequential double ionization(NSDI) of Ar and Mg in the two-color elliptically polarized laser pulse for different elliptical polarizations. Numerical results show that for Ar atoms the NSDI yield increases as the ellipticity increases, which is different from the case of Mg atoms. Moreover, the correlated behavior in the correlated electron momentum along the x direction and ion momentum distributions of Ar atoms are influenced by the ellipticity. By statistical analysis of different times, we can conclude that the ellipticity may be responsible for the NSDI processes. The correlated momenta distributions along the x direction at the recollision time are demonstrated and the results show that the travelling time and ellipticity can affect the emitted directions of both electrons.     

Deflections of photoelectron classical trajectories in screened Coulomb potentials of H_2~+

The photoelectron momentum distribution of H+2in circularly polarized laser fields is studied based on classical trajectory calculations. We screen Coulomb potentials at different radii, and trace trajectories of an ensemble of electrons in such screened Coulomb potentials and circularly polarized laser fields. Simulations show that electron trajectories are bent by Coulomb fields, resulting in the laser-intensity-dependent drift of photoelectron momentum distributions in the laser polarization plane. This study intuitively explains how Coulomb potentials modify photoelectron momenta.     

Nonsequential double ionization of diatomic molecules by elliptically polarized laser pulses

Using the classical ensemble method, we investigate nonsequential double ionization （NSDI） of diatomic molecules by elliptically polarized laser pulses. The results show that the ellipticity of the laser field has a strong suppression effect on NSDI probabilities both in parallel and perpendicular alignments. The double ionization （DI） channel is commonly dominated by NSDI, and the NSDI channel changes with ellipticity. As ellipticity increases, more and more NSDIs occur through recollision excitation with subsequent field ionization （RESI）. Moreover, like the case of linear polarization, the two electrons involved in NSDI for perpendicularly aligned molecules are more likely to emit into the opposite hemispheres as compared to the case of parallel alignment. Additionally, this alignment effect increases as ellipticity increases.     

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.     

The effect of electron initial longitudinal velocity on the non-sequential double ionization process in an elliptically polarized laser field

The effect of initial longitudinal velocity of the tunnelled electron on the non-sequential double ionization(NSDI) process in an elliptically polarized laser field is studied by a semiclassical model.We find that the non-zero initial longitudinal velocity has a suppressing effect on single-return collision(SRC) events in the double ionization process,more specifically,it results in an obvious reduction in the center part of the correlation momentum distributions in the direction of the major polarization axis(z axis) and makes the distribution of single-return collision in the minor polarization axis(x axis) become narrower.     

The effect of electron initial longitudinal velocity on non-sequential double ionization process in elliptically polarized laser field

The effect of initial longitudinal velocity of the tunnelled electron on the non-sequential double ionization (NSDI) process in elliptically polarized laser field is studied by a semiclassical model. We find that the non-zero initial longitudinal velocity has a suppressing effect on single-return collision (SRC) events in double ionization process, more specifically, it results in an obvious reduction in the center part of the correlation momentum distributions in the direction of the major polarization axis (z axis) and makes the distribution of single-return collision in the minor polarization axis (x axis) become narrow.     

Multiple recollisions in nonsequential double ionization below the recollision-ionization threshold

By using the three-dimensional classical ensemble model, the recollision dynamics in nonsequential double ionization (NSDI) of Ar by 780-nm laser pulses at (6-1.2)×10¹⁴ W/cm² was extensively studied. We revealed the picture of multiple-recollision in the double ionization events at the laser intensity region below the recollision-ionization threshold. Via tracing the NSDI trajectories, it was found that the contribution of these multiple-recollision events increases as the laser intensity decreases. In this low intensity region, many multiple-recollision induced NSDI trajectories occur through the doubly excited states. The decay speed of the doubly excited state decreases with the decreasing laser intensity.     

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}     

不同分子取向下氢分子非次序双电离对核间距的依赖关系

利用三维经典系综模型研究了氢分子非次序双电离对核间距的依赖性.在不同分子取向下,氢分子双电离率随核间距的增大而先增大后减小,在核间距为4a.u.时取最大值.氢分子非次序双电离对核间距的依赖性随分子轴与激光偏振方向间夹角φ的增大而减弱.φ=0时,氢分子非次序双电离包含丰富的相关模式,对核间距有强烈的依赖性φ=π/2时,不同核间距下的相关模式相似,重碰撞在双电离过程中发挥更重要的作用.这些结果表明分子结构对双原子分子非次序双电离有重要影响. 关键词： 非次序双电离 核间距 关联动量分布     

Momentum distributions of ne(n+) ions created by an intense ultrashort laser pulse

Vector momentum distributions of Ne(n+) (n = 1,2,3) ions created by 30 fs, approximately 1 PW/cm(2) laser pulses at 795 nm have been measured using recoil-ion momentum spectroscopy. Distinct maxima along the light polarization axis are observed at 4.0 and 7.5 a.u. for Ne2+ and Ne3+ production, respectively. Hence, mechanisms based on an instantaneous release of two (or more) electrons can be ruled out as a dominant contribution to nonsequential strong-field multiple ionization. The positions of the maxima are in accord with kinematical constraints set by the classical "rescattering model."     

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.     

Measurement of Carrier-Envelope Phase and Field Strength of a Few-Cycle Pulse by Non-sequential Double Ionization

We propose a method to measure the carrier-envelop phase （CEP） and the intensity of a few-cycle pulse by controlling the non-sequentiai double ionization （NSDI） process. By using an additional static electric field, we can change the momentum distribution of the double-charged ions parallel to the laser polarization from an asymmetrical double-hump structure to a nearly symmetrical one. It is found that the ratio between the strength of the static electric field and that of the laser field is sensitive to the CEP but robust against the intensity fluctuation. Therefore we can determine the OEP of a few-cycle pulse precisely by measuring the static electric field. Fhrthermore, if the CEP of the few-cycle pulse is fixed at a certain value, we can also calibrate the intensity of the laser pulse by the static electric field.     

Angular correlations in pair creation

We present the Monte Carlo analysis of angular correlations in electron-positron pair production by the laser field-heavy ions impact process. It is shown that, for linearly polarized laser fields, pairs are created mainly in the plane spanned by the polarization vector and the laser photon momentum, and that the angular distribution of created electrons and positrons is anticorrelated.     

Nonsequential double ionization of the aligned hydrogen molecule in strong field

This paper studies the nonsequential double ionization(NSDI) process of diatomic molecules aligned parallel and perpendicular to an intense linearly polarized laser field by using a three-dimensional semiclassical model.With this model,it achieves insight into the ion momentum distribution under the combined influence of a two-centre Coulomb potential and an intense laser field,and this result shows the significant influence of molecular alignment on the ratio between double and single ionization rate.Careful investigations show that the NSDI process for different alignment molecules has a close relation to the laser intensity and the different bounding electron distribution has a significant influence on the final ion momentum distribution.     

Influence of relative phase on the nonsequential double ionization process of CO_2 molecules by counter-rotating two-color circularly polarized laser fields

We investigate the nonsequential double ionization(NSDI) of linear triatomic molecules by the counter-rotating two-color circularly polarized(CRTC) laser fields with a classical ensemble method. The results of the simulation reveal that NSDI yield strongly connected with the relative phase. The trajectory tracking method shows that the return time of the electron is controlled by the relative phase. In addition, when we change the CRTC laser wavelengths, the relative phase of the maximum and minimum yield of NSDI also changes. This shows that the influence of the Coulomb potential in the triatomic molecules on the electron return process cannot be ignored. This work will effectively promote the electronic dynamics study of NSDI for the triatomic molecule.     

Carrier-envelope-phase effect in nonsequential double ionization of Ar atoms by few-cycle laser pulses

A classical ensemble method is used to investigate nonsequential double ionization(NSDI) of Ar atoms irradiated by linearly polarized few-cycle laser pulses. The correlated-electron momentum distribution(CMD) exhibits a strong dependence on the carrier-envelope phase(CEP). When the pulse duration is four cycles, the CMD shows a cross-like structure, which is consistent with experimental results. The CEP dependence is more notable when the laser pulse duration is decreased to two cycles and a special L-shaped structure appears in CMD. Recollision time of returning electrons greatly depends on CEP, which plays a significant role in accounting for the appearance of this structure.     

Bifurcation of ion momentum distributions in sequential double ionization by elliptically polarized laser pulses

Using a fully classical model, we have studied sequential double ionization (SDI) of argon driven by elliptically polarized laser pulses at intensities well in the over-barrier ionization region. The results show that the width of the ion momentum along the major elliptical axis increases with the ellipticity while that in the laser propagation direction decreases with the ellipticity. The ion momentum in the minor elliptical axis bifurcates from one peak structure to three-peak, then to four-peak, finally to six-peak structure. Analysis shows that this ellipticity dependence of the ion momentum distribution is a result of the subcycle nature of the ionization dynamics in SDI. By changing the ellipticity and wavelength of the driving pulses, this subcycle ionization dynamics is more observable. This provides a simple and efficient way to study the subcycle ionization dynamics in strong field processes.     

不同核轴取向的O2的高次谐波

分子的高次谐波是强场超快物理的重要研究课题. 采用建立在形式散射理论基础上的频域方法计算了O₂在线偏振激光场下的高次谐波, 探讨了核轴被准直在与激光传输方向垂直的平面内时, 高次谐波随核轴与光电场偏振方向所成夹角θ₀的依赖关系. 结果表明: 各次谐波都是在θ₀约为45°时强度最大, 并有较宽的峰值宽度; 当偏离此角度, 高次谐波的强度变小; 到达平行或垂直取向时, 降到最低. 分析表明, 这是由于高次谐波的强度取决于分子基态的电子在动量空间中的电场方向的布居. 针对核轴被准直在激光传输方向与电场偏振方向所确定的平面内的情况, 计算了高次谐波随θ₀的依赖关系, 结果与前一种情况基本相同. 分析发现, 当核轴被准直固定后, 分子绕核轴旋转的角度ψ没有固定, 所以最后的高次谐波强度需要对不同的ψ 时的高次谐波的贡献求和平均. 平均后相当于波函数相对于核轴旋转对称, 从而导致O₂的高次谐波仅与θ₀有关, 而与核轴被准直在哪个面上无关.