Qualitatively Different Theoretical Predictions for Strong-Field Photoionization Rates

Abstract

We give examples showing that two well-known versions of the S-matrix theory, which describes a nonresonant multiphoton ionization of atoms and ions in intense laser fields, lead to qualitatively different results. The latter refer not only to total ionization rates, but also to energy distributions of photoelectrons, for instance in a polarization plane of the laser field. It should be possible to make an experiment testing predictions of both theories in the near future.

12 pages, 5 figures; submitted to Physical Review

References in corpus (4)

• Multiphoton detachment of electrons from negative ions
• Simple proof of gauge invariance for the S-matrix element of strong-field photoionization
• Quasistatic limit of the strong-field approximation describing atoms in intense laser fields: Circular polarization
• Lorentz force on an electron in a strong plane-wave laser field and the low-frequency limit for ionization

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Nonadiabatic tunneling in circularly polarized laser fields: Derivation of formulas
• Ionization and excitation of the excited hydrogen atom in strong circularly polarized laser fields
• Ionization and excitation of low-lying circular states of the hydrogen atom in strong circularly polarized laser fields