Analysis of two-dimensional high-energy photoelectron momentum distributions in single ionization of atoms by intense laser pulses

We analyzed the two-dimensional (2D) electron momentum distributions of high-energy photoelectrons of atoms in an intense laser field using the second-order strong field approximation (SFA2). The SFA2 accounts for the rescattering of the returning electron with the target ion to first order and its validity is established by comparing with results obtained by solving the time-dependent Schr\"{o}dinger equation (TDSE) for short pulses. By analyzing the SFA2 theory, we confirmed that the yield along the back rescattered ridge (BRR) in the 2D momentum spectra can be interpreted as due to the elastic scattering in the backward directions by the returning electron wave packet. The characteristics of the extracted electron wave packets for different laser parameters are analyzed, including their dependence on the laser intensity and pulse duration. For long pulses we also studied the wave packets from the first and the later returns.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figure

Algorithms for outerplanar graph roots and graph roots of pathwidth at most 2

Deciding whether a given graph has a square root is a classical problem that has been studied extensively both from graph theoretic and from algorithmic perspectives. The problem is NP-complete in general, and consequently substantial effort has been dedicated to deciding whether a given graph has a square root that belongs to a particular graph class. There are both polynomial-time solvable and NP-complete cases, depending on the graph class. We contribute with new results in this direction. Given an arbitrary input graph G, we give polynomial-time algorithms to decide whether G has an outerplanar square root, and whether G has a square root that is of pathwidth at most 2

Generation of broad XUV continuous high harmonic spectra and isolated attosecond pulses with intense mid-infrared lasers

We present experimental results showing the appearance of a near-continuum in the high-order harmonic generation (HHG) spectra of atomic and molecular species as the driving laser intensity of an infrared pulse increases. Detailed macroscopic simulations reveal that these near-continuum spectra are capable of producing IAPs in the far field if a proper spatial filter is applied. Further, our simulations show that the near-continuum spectra and the IAPs are a product of strong temporal and spatial reshaping (blue shift and defocusing) of the driving field. This offers a possibility of producing IAPs with a broad range of photon energy, including plateau harmonics, by mid-IR laser pulses even without carrier-envelope phase stabilization.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, submitted to J.Phys. B (Oct 2011

Coupling Control Variates for Markov Chain Monte Carlo

We show that Markov couplings can be used to improve the accuracy of Markov chain Monte Carlo calculations in some situations where the steady-state probability distribution is not explicitly known. The technique generalizes the notion of control variates from classical Monte Carlo integration. We illustrate it using two models of nonequilibrium transport

Following Coherent Multichannel Nuclear Wave Packets in Pump-Probe Studies of O₂ with Ultrashort Laser Pulses

We reexamine the recent pump-probe experiment with O₂ using short intense infrared laser pulses theoretically. Using parameters that closely mimic the experimental conditions and taking into account the angle-dependent population redistribution due to resonant coupling between the relevant states, we show that the observed kinetic energy release spectra, including the energy-dependent structure and the quantum beat frequencies, can be accurately reproduced. Our results reveal additional important channels that were missed earlier. In particular, the strong contributions from O₂+a4Πu and b4Σb- states lead to the possibility of observing the interchannel beating. We further demonstrate that, by varying the laser parameters, the coherent nuclear wave-packet motions on different potential energy surfaces (PESs) can be probed and the properties of the PES can be examined. Future experiments with different wavelength lasers are proposed for better probing and controlling nuclear dynamics on different PESs

Hyperspherical Close-Coupling Calculations for Charge-Transfer Cross Sections in He²⁺ +H(1s) Collisions At Low Energies

A theory for ion-atom collisions at low energies based on the hyperspherical close-coupling (HSCC) method is presented. In hyperspherical coordinates the wave function is expanded in analogy to the Born-Oppenheimer approximation where the adiabatic channel functions are calculated with B-spline basis functions while the coupled hyperradial equations are solved by a combination of R-matrix propagation and the slow/smooth variable discretization method. The HSCC method is applied to calculate charge-transfer cross sections for He²⁺ +H(1s)--\u3eHe⁺ (n=2) + H⁺ reactions at center-of-mass energies from 10 eV to 4 keV. The results are shown to be in general good agreement with calculations based on the molecular orbital (MO) expansion method where electron translation factors (ETF\u27s) or switching functions have been incorporated in each MO. However, discrepancies were found at very low energies. It is shown that the HSCC method can be used to study low-energy ion-atom collisions without the need to introduce the ad hoc ETF\u27s, and the results are free from ambiguities associated with the traditional MO expansion approach

Transverse thermal depinning and nonlinear sliding friction of an adsorbed monolayer

We study the response of an adsorbed monolayer under a driving force as a model of sliding friction phenomena between two crystalline surfaces with a boundary lubrication layer. Using Langevin-dynamics simulation, we determine the nonlinear response in the direction transverse to a high symmetry direction along which the layer is already sliding. We find that below a finite transition temperature, there exist a critical depinning force and hysteresis effects in the transverse response in the dynamical state when the adlayer is sliding smoothly along the longitudinal direction.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Doping-Dependent Raman Resonance in the Model High-Temperature Superconductor HgBa2CuO4+d

We study the model high-temperature superconductor HgBa2CuO4+d with electronic Raman scattering and optical ellipsometry over a wide doping range. The resonant Raman condition which enhances the scattering cross section of "two-magnon" excitations is found to change strongly with doping, and it corresponds to a rearrangement of inter-band optical transitions in the 1-3 eV range seen by ellipsometry. This unexpected change of the resonance condition allows us to reconcile the apparent discrepancy between Raman and x-ray detection of magnetic fluctuations in superconducting cuprates. Intriguingly, the strongest variation occurs across the doping level where the antinodal superconducting gap reaches its maximum.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, contact authors for Supplemental Materia

Lattice dynamical signature of charge density wave formation in underdoped YBa2Cu3O6+x

We report a detailed Raman scattering study of the lattice dynamics in detwinned single crystals of the underdoped high temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O6+x (x=0.75, 0.6, 0.55 and 0.45). Whereas at room temperature the phonon spectra of these compounds are similar to that of optimally doped YBa2Cu3O6.99, additional Raman-active modes appear upon cooling below ~170-200 K in underdoped crystals. The temperature dependence of these new features indicates that they are associated with the incommensurate charge density wave state recently discovered using synchrotron x-ray scattering techniques on the same single crystals. Raman scattering has thus the potential to explore the evolution of this state under extreme conditions.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figure