Ionization of a hydrogen-like ion by a strong low-frequency linearly polarized laser field

The influence of the long-range Coulomb potential on the ionization rate of a hydrogen-like ion has been investigated within the framework of the quasi-classical method. In a rather strong field, the dependence of the ionization rate on the field intensity does not have a purely power-law character in the multiphoton region. The analytical equations obtained are in agreement with the experimental data on the cross section of multiphoton ionization and give an estimate of the threshold field values in the tunneling region.     

Ionization and stabilization of a three-dimensional system with a short-range potential in a strong laser field

The interaction of a three-dimensional atomic system in a short-range potential with intense laser radiation is investigated by the direct numerical integration of the nonstationary Schrödinger equation. The calculations helped to discover a stabilization regime, which is interpreted as a result of forming a Kramers-Henneberger atom “dressed” in a field. Dynamics of the energy spectrum of photoelectrons depending on the increase of the laser field intensity is investigated, and conditions of a photodetachment of an electron from a bound state of the Kramers-Henneberger potential are analyzed. These results reveal specific features of the stabilization process of the three-dimensional system with a short-range potential compared to the similar process in a system with a long-range (Coulomb) potential.     

Ionization of a molecular hydrogen ion by a strong low-frequency electromagnetic field of laser radiation

Simple analytical expressions are obtained for the energy and angular distributions of outgoing electrons in ionization of a molecular hydrogen ion by a strong low-frequency electromagnetic field as well as for the ionization probabilities per unit time. The cases of linear and circular polarization of the laser radiation are studied. It is shown that in contrast to the case of the ionization of atoms oscillations appear in the energy spectra of the photoelectrons as a function of their kinetic energy. The well-known limits for the tunneling ionization probabilities for the hydrogen atom by a strong low-frequency alternating field are obtained in the case of large internuclear separations. Zh. é ksp. Teor. Fiz. 113, 583–592 (February 1998)     

Ionization of a two-electron atom in a strong electromagnetic field

A one-dimensional model of a helium atom in an intense field of a femtosecond electromagnetic pulse has been constructed using the Hartree technique. “Exact” calculations have been compared to the approximations of “frozen” and “passive” electrons. A nonmonotonic dependence of the single-electron ionization probability on the radiation intensity has been detected. Minima in the ionization probability are due to multiphoton resonances between different atomic states due to the dynamic Stark effect. We suggest that the ionization suppression is due to the interference stabilization in this case. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 470–482 (August 1997)     

Bremsstrahlung in a strong laser field

We consider the bremsstrahlung of electrons as they collide with ions in a strong laser field. The bremsstrahlung spectrum has been found to be enriched in sufficiently strong fields. Particular attention is given to the coherent bremsstrahlung component. We propose a qualitative model that explains our results. The possibility of experimentally observing the coherent bremsstrahlung component in a strong field is discussed.     

Ionization of clusters in strong x-ray laser pulses

The effect of intense x-ray laser interaction on argon clusters is studied theoretically with a mixed quantum/classical approach. In comparison to a single atom we find that ionization of the cluster is suppressed, which is in striking contrast to the observed behavior of rare-gas clusters in intense optical laser pulses. We have identified two effects responsible for this phenomenon: A high space charge of the cluster in combination with a small quiver amplitude and delocalization of electrons in the cluster. We elucidate their impact for different field strengths and cluster sizes.     

Ionization of atoms in strong low-frequency electromagnetic field

The ionization of atoms in a low-frequency linearly polarized electromagnetic field (the photon energy is much lower than the ionization potential of an atom) is considered under new conditions, in which the Coulomb interaction of an electron with the atomic core in the final state of the continuum cannot be considered in perturbation theory in the interaction of the electron with the electromagnetic field. The field is assumed to be much weaker that the atomic field. In these conditions, the classical motion of the electron in the final state of the continuum becomes chaotic (so-called dynamic chaos). Using the well-known Chirikov method of averaging over chaotic variations of the phase of motion, the problem can be reduced to non-linear diffusion on the energy scale. We calculate the classical electron energy in the final state, which is averaged over fast chaotic oscillations and takes into account both the Coulomb field and the electromagnetic field. This energy is used to calculate the probability of ionization from the ground state of the atom to a lower-lying state in the continuum using the Landau-Dykhne approximation (to exponential accuracy). This ionization probability noticeably depends on the field frequency. Upon a decrease in frequency, a transition to the well-known tunnel ionization limit with a probability independent of the field frequency is considered.     

Ionization and stabilization of a two-electron atom in a strong electromagnetic field

Direct numerical simulations are performed to analyze stabilization of a two-electron model atom in a strong electromagnetic field. The system is found to be stabilized with respect to both single and double ionization. By comparing the present results with those concerning stability of one-electron atoms, it is shown that stabilization is due to the formation of a Kramers-Henneberger two-electron atom. Ionization and stabilization characteristics of excited singlet and triplet states of an atomic system are examined.     

Thermonuclear fusion in a strong laser field

Thermonuclear fusion induced by the irradiation of solid deuterated cluster targets and foils with fields of strong femtosecond and picosecond laser pulses is discussed. The thermonuclear-fusion process D(d, n)³He in a collision of two deuterons at an energy of 50 to 100 keV in a deuterium cluster target irradiated with a strong laser pulse is discussed. A theory of thermonuclear fusion proceeding upon the irradiation of clusters formed by deuterium iodide (DI) molecules with the field of a superintense femtosecond laser pulse is developed. This theory is based on an above-barrier process in which the sequential multiple inner ionization of atomic ions within a cluster is accompanied by field-induced outer ionization. The yield of neutrons from thermonuclear fusion in a deuteron-deuteron collision after the completion of a laser pulse is calculated. The yield of neutrons is determined for the thermonuclear-fusion reaction proceeding in the interaction of an intense picosecond laser pulse with thin TiD₂ foils. A multiple ionization of titanium atoms at the front edge of the laser pulse is considered. The heating of free electron occurs in induced inverse bremsstrahlung in the process of electron scattering on multiply charged titanium ions. The yield of alpha particles in the thermonuclear-fusion reaction involving protons and ¹¹B nuclei that is induced in microdrops by a strong laser field is determined. Experimental data on laser-induced thermonuclear fusion are discussed.     

Molecules in a bicircular strong laser field

Strong-field ionization of nonlinear planar triatomic molecules by a bicircular laser field is analyzed within the improved molecular strong-field approximation. Our calculations include additional interaction between the liberated electrons and atomic or ionic centers of the parent molecular ion. The used bicircular field consists of two counterrotating circularly polarized fields having angular frequencies \(r \omega\) and \(s \omega\), with integer r and s. In the case when the laser-field-polarization plane is parallel to the plane of the considered molecule (example of ozone molecule is analyzed), the corresponding photoelectron spectra are not rotationally symmetric. On the other hand, when these planes are mutually perpendicular, for the \((r\omega ,s\omega )=(\omega ,3\omega )\) bicircular field, the electron spectra satisfy the corresponding rotational symmetries. Analyzing the obtained spectra and the corresponding symmetries, one can extract information about molecular orientation and structure. This technique may also be useful for more complex polyatomic molecules.     

Quantum electron self-interaction in a strong laser field

The quantum state of an electron in a strong laser field is altered if the interaction of the electron with its own electromagnetic field is taken into account. Starting from the Schwinger-Dirac equation, we determine the states of an electron in a plane-wave field with inclusion, at leading order, of its electromagnetic self-interaction. On the one hand, the electron states show a pure quantum contribution to the electron quasimomentum, conceptually different from the conventional classical one arising from the quiver motion of the electron. On the other hand, the electron self-interaction induces a distinct dynamics of the electron spin, whose effects are shown to be measurable in principle with available technology.     

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.     

Spontaneous emission of atoms in a strong laser field

The spontaneous emission of an atomic system in the field of a high-intensity femtosecond laser pulse is considered within the framework of a consistent quantum-mechanical approach based on an examination of the interaction of a quantum system with a set of quantized field modes in a vacuum state. Both even and odd harmonics of the driving field are shown to appear in the atomic emission spectrum, and the mechanisms of their generation are elucidated. A comparison with the semiclassical theory of laser harmonic generation is made. The semiclassical approach in describing the spontaneous emission in strong laser fields, especially under conditions of significant depletion of the ground (initial) state in a laser field, is shown to be limited.     

Stabilization of an atom in a strong laser field

A quasiresonant laser field initiates the decay of an initially occupied atomic level into the continuum. If the amplitude of the external field is sufficiently high, other atomic levels, not meeting the condition for exact resonance, begin to participate in the atomic dynamics. This phenomenon leads to the stabilization of the atom. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 1236–1242 (April 1999)     

Controlling multiparticle correlations with a strong laser field

The collective interaction via a surrounding thermalized electromagnetic reservoir of a two-level multiatom sample with an external applied strong coherent field is investigated. In a small sample following Dicke’s model, even at the exact resonances, very strong pumping leads to a complete transfer of the population into a particular dressed-state. This way very large Rabi frequencies are shown to modify and control the interatomic correlations in a system of spatially separated atoms of few wavelengths extend.     

Photoemission of a single-electron wave packet in a strong laser field

The radiation emitted by a single-electron wave packet in an intense laser field is considered. A relation between the exact quantum formulation and its classical counterpart is established via the electron's Wigner function. In particular, we show that the wave packet, even when it spreads to the scale of the wavelength of the driving laser field, cannot be treated as an extended classical charge distribution, but rather behaves as a pointlike emitter carrying information on its initial quantum state. We outline an experimental setup dedicated to put this conclusion to the test.