Existence criteria for stabilization from the scaling behaviour of ionization probabilities

We provide a systematic derivation of the scaling behaviour of various quantities and establish in particular the scale invariance of the ionization probability. We discuss the gauge invariance of the scaling properties and the manner in which they can be exploited as consistency check in explicit analytical expressions, in perturbation theory, in the Kramers-Henneberger and Floquet approximation, in upper and lower bound estimates and fully numerical solutions of the time dependent Schroedinger equation. The scaling invariance leads to a differential equation which has to be satisfied by the ionization probability and which yields an alternative criterium for the existence of atomic bound state stabilization.Comment: 12 pages of Latex, one figur

Stabilization not for certain and the usefulness of bounds

Stabilization is still a somewhat controversial issue concerning its very existence and also the precise conditions for its occurrence. The key quantity to settle these questions is the ionization probability, for which hitherto no computational method exists which is entirely agreed upon. It is therefore very useful to provide various consistency criteria which have to be satisfied by this quantity, whose discussion is the main objective of this contribution. We show how the scaling behaviour of the space leads to a symmetry in the ionization probability, which can be exploited in the mentioned sense. Furthermore, we discuss how upper and lower bounds may be used for the same purpose. Rather than concentrating on particular analytical expressions we obtained elsewhere for these bounds, we focus in our discussion on the general principles of this method. We illustrate the precise working of this procedure, its advantages, shortcomings and range of applicability. We show that besides constraining possible values for the ionization probability these bounds, like the scaling behaviour, also lead to definite statements concerning the physical outcome. The pulse shape properties which have to be satitisfied for the existence of asymptotical stabilization is the vanishing of the total classical momentum transfer and the total classical displacement and not smoothly switched on and off pulses. Alternatively we support our results by general considerations in the Gordon-Volkov perturbation theory and explicit studies of various pulse shapes and potentials including in particular the Coulomb- and the delta potential.Comment: 12 pages Late