Ionization of lithium in a strong laser field

In this work, we present ab initio computations of the interaction of helium and lithium with a strong laser field. By computing the two-and three-particle wave functions, we retain the full electron correlation and numerically integrate the time-dependent Schrödinger equation (TDSE) restricted to one dimension. The correlated nonsequential double ionization (NSDI) and the sequential double ionization (SDI) is studied. Our results show a clear transition from NSDI to SDI for increasing intensities. The correlated double ionization is found to be sensitive to the spin configuration of the ionized pair. Our model allows us to “measure” two different channels of double ionization (one with both spins aligned and one with spins antialigned).