Momentum distributions in time-dependent density functional theory: Product phase approximation for non-sequential double ionization in strong laser fields

We investigate the possibility to deduce momentum space properties from time-dependent density functional calculations. Electron and ion momentum distributions after double ionization of a model Helium atom in a strong few-cycle laser pulse are studied. We show that, in this case, the choice of suitable functionals for the observables is considerably more important than the choice of the correlation potential in the time-dependent Kohn-Sham equations. By comparison with the solution of the time-dependent Schroedinger equation, the insufficiency of functionals neglecting electron correlation is demonstrated. We construct a functional of the Kohn-Sham orbitals, which in principle yields the exact momentum distributions of the electrons and the ion. The product-phase approximation is introduced, which reduces the problem of approximating this functional significantly.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, RevTeX

Routes to multiphoton double ionization in combined extreme ultraviolet and infrared laser pulses

Xenon multiphoton double ionization pathways are studied in a reaction microscope using a pump-probe arrangement of extreme ultraviolet high harmonic and infrared laser radiation. The momentum of photoelectrons is recorded in coincidence with singly or doubly charged ions. Among all possible routes to multiphoton double ionization, sequential processes using ionic excited states as intermediate steps are clearly identified

Interference in strong-field ionization of a two-centre atomic system

Strong-field photoionization of argon dimers by a few-cycle laser pulse is investigated using electron-ion coincidence momentum spectroscopy. The momentum distribution of the photoelectrons exhibits interference due to the emission from the two atomic argon centres, in analogy with a Young's doubleslit experiment. However, a simulation of the dimer photoelectron momentum spectrum based on the atomic spectrum supplemented with a theoretically derived interference term leads to distinct deviations from the experimental result. The deviations may have their origin in a complex electron dynamics during strong-field ionization of the Ar2 dimer. © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft

Laser Induced Non-Sequential Double Ionization Investigated at and Below the Threshold for Electron Impact Ionization

We use correlated electron–ion momentum measurements to investigate laserinduced non-sequential double ionization of Ar and Ne. Light intensities are chosen in a regime at and below the threshold where, within the rescattering model, electron impact ionization of the singly charged ion core is expected to become energetically forbidden. Yet we find Ar2+ ion momentum distributions and an electron–electron momentum correlation indicative of direct impactionization. Within the quasistatic model this may be understood by assuming that the electric field of the light wave reduces the ionization potential of the singly charged ion core at the instant of scattering. The width of the projection of the ion momentum distribution onto an axis perpendicular to the light beam polarization vector is found to scalewiththe square root of the peak electric field strength in the light pulse. A scaling like this is not expected from the phase space available after electron impact ionization. It may indicate that the electric field at the instant of scattering is usually different fromzero and determines the transverse momentum distribution. A comparison of our experimental results with several theoretical results is give

Dissociative Autoionization in (1+2)-photon Above Threshold Excitation of H2 Molecules

We have theoretically studied the effect of dissociative autoionization on the photoelectron energy spectrum in (1+2)-photon above threshold ionization(ATI) of H2 molecules. We have considered excitation from the ground state X-singlet-Sigma-g+(v=0,j) to the doubly excited autoionizing states of singlet-Sigma-u+ and singlet-Pi-u+ symmetry, via the intermediate resonant B-singlet-Sigma-u+(v=5,j) states. We have shown that the photoelectron energy spectrum is oscillatory in nature and shows three distinct peaks above the photoelectron energy 0.7 eV. This feature has been observed in a recent experiment by Rottke et al, J. Phys. B, Vol. 30, p-4049 (1997).Comment: 11 pages and 4 figure

Irradiation of benzene molecules by ion-induced and light-induced intense fields

Benzene, with its sea of delocalized $\pi$-electrons in the valence orbitals, is identified as an example of a class of molecules that enable establishment of the correspondence between intense ion-induced and laser-light-induced fields in experiments that probe ionization dynamics in temporal regimes spanning the attosecond and picosecond ranges.Comment: 4 ps figure

Resummation of the Divergent Perturbation Series for a Hydrogen Atom in an Electric Field

We consider the resummation of the perturbation series describing the energy displacement of a hydrogenic bound state in an electric field (known as the Stark effect or the LoSurdo-Stark effect), which constitutes a divergent formal power series in the electric field strength. The perturbation series exhibits a rich singularity structure in the Borel plane. Resummation methods are presented which appear to lead to consistent results even in problematic cases where isolated singularities or branch cuts are present on the positive and negative real axis in the Borel plane. Two resummation prescriptions are compared: (i) a variant of the Borel-Pade resummation method, with an additional improvement due to utilization of the leading renormalon poles (for a comprehensive discussion of renormalons see [M. Beneke, Phys. Rep. vol. 317, p. 1 (1999)]), and (ii) a contour-improved combination of the Borel method with an analytic continuation by conformal mapping, and Pade approximations in the conformal variable. The singularity structure in the case of the LoSurdo-Stark effect in the complex Borel plane is shown to be similar to (divergent) perturbative expansions in quantum chromodynamics.Comment: 14 pages, RevTeX, 3 tables, 1 figure; numerical accuracy of results enhanced; one section and one appendix added and some minor changes and additions; to appear in phys. rev.

Characterization of MOSFET dosimeters for low-dose measurements in maxillofacial anthropomorphic phantoms

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