Momentum scalar triple product as a measure of chirality in electron ionization dynamics of strongly-driven atoms

Abstract

We formulate a transparent measure that quantifies chirality in single electron ionization triggered in atoms, which are achiral systems. We do so in the context of Ar driven by a new type of optical fields that consists of two non-collinear laser beams giving rise to chirality that varies in space across the focus of the beams. Our computations account for realistic experimental conditions. To define this measure of chirality, we first find the sign of the electron final momentum scalar triple product ${\mathbf{p}}_{\mathbf{k}}\cdot ({\mathbf{p}}_{\mathbf{i}}\times {\mathbf{p}}_{\mathbf{j}})$ and multiply it with the probability for an electron to ionize with certain values for both ${\mathrm{p}}_{\mathrm{k}}$ and ${\mathrm{p}}_{\mathrm{i}}{\mathrm{p}}_{\mathrm{j}}$. Then, we integrate this product over all values of ${\mathrm{p}}_{\mathrm{k}}$ and ${\mathrm{p}}_{\mathrm{i}}{\mathrm{p}}_{\mathrm{j}}$. We show this to be a robust measure of chirality in electron ionization triggered by globally chiral electric fields.

6 pages, 4 figures