Probing electron-electron correlation with attosecond pulses

We study two-photon double ionization of helium in its ground state at sufficiently low laser intensities so that three and more photon absorptions are negligible. In the regime where sequential ionization dominates, the two-photon double ionization one-electron energy spectrum exhibits a well defined double peak structure directly related to the electron-electron correlation in the ground state. We demonstrate that when helium is exposed to subfemtosecond or attosecond pulses, both peaks move and their displacement is a signature of the time needed by the He⁺ orbital to relax after the ejection of the first electron. This result rests on the numerical solution of the corresponding non-relativistic time-dependent Schrödinger equation.Received: 17 January 2003, Published online: 18 March 2003PACS: 32.80.Rm Multiphoton ionization and excitation to highly excited states (e.g., Rydberg states) - 32.80.Dz Autoionization