467 research outputs found
Momentum space tomographic imaging of photoelectrons
We apply tomography, a general method for reconstructing 3-D distributions
from multiple projections, to reconstruct the momentum distribution of
electrons produced via strong field photoionization. The projections are
obtained by rotating the electron distribution via the polarization of the
ionizing laser beam and recording a momentum spectrum at each angle with a 2-D
velocity map imaging spectrometer. For linearly polarized light the tomographic
reconstruction agrees with the distribution obtained using an Abel inversion.
Electron tomography, which can be applied to any polarization, will simplify
the technology of electron imaging. The method can be directly generalized to
other charged particles.Comment: Accepted by J. Phys.
Alignment dependent enhancement of the photo-electron cutoff for multi-photon ionization of molecules
The multiphoton ionization rate of molecules depends on the alignment of the
molecular axis with respect to the ionizing laser polarization. By studying
molecular frame photo-electron angular distributions from N, O and
benzene, we illustrate how the angle-dependent ionization rate affects the
photo-electron cutoff energy. We find alignment can enhance the high energy
cutoff of the photo-electron spectrum when probing along a nodal plane or when
ionization is otherwise suppressed. This is supported by calculations using a
tunneling model with a single ion state.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Mechanisms of two-color laser-induced field-free molecular orientation
Two mechanisms of two-color (\omega + 2\omega) laser-induced field-free
molecular orientation, based on the hyperpolarizability and ionization
depletion, are explored and compared. The CO molecule is used as a
computational example. While the hyperpolarizability mechanism generates small
amounts of orientation at intensities below the ionization threshold,
ionization depletion quickly becomes the dominant mechanism as soon as ionizing
intensities are reached. Only the ionization mechanism leads to substantial
orientation (e.g. on the order of || > 0.1). For intensities typical
of laser-induced molecular alignment and orientation experiments, the two
mechanism lead to robust, characteristic timings of the field-free orientation
wave-packet revivals relative to the the alignment revivals and the revival
time. The revival timings can be used to detect the active orientation
mechanism experimentally
Tunneling Ionization Rates from Arbitrary Potential Wells
We present a practical numerical technique for calculating tunneling
ionization rates from arbitrary 1-D potential wells in the presence of a linear
external potential by determining the widths of the resonances in the spectral
density, rho(E), adiabatically connected to the field-free bound states. While
this technique applies to more general external potentials, we focus on the
ionization of electrons from atoms and molecules by DC electric fields, as this
has an important and immediate impact on the understanding of the multiphoton
ionization of molecules in strong laser fields.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, LaTe
Relativistic photoelectron spectra in the ionization of atoms by elliptically polarized light
Relativistic tunnel ionization of atoms by intense, elliptically polarized
light is considered. The relativistic version of the Landau-Dykhne formula is
employed. The general analytical expression is obtained for the relativistic
photoelectron spectra. The most probable angle of electron emission, the
angular distribution near this angle, the position of the maximum and the width
of the energy spectrum are calculated. In the weak field limit we obtain the
familiar non-relativistic results. For the case of circular polarization our
analytical results are in agreement with recent derivations of Krainov [V.P.
Krainov, J. Phys. B, {\bf 32}, 1607 (1999)].Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in Journal of Physics
Relativistic semiclassical approach in strong-field nonlinear photoionization
Nonlinear relativistic ionization phenomena induced by a strong laser
radiation with elliptically polarization are considered. The starting point is
the classical relativistic action for a free electron moving in the
electromagnetic field created by a strong laser beam. The application of the
relativistic action to the classical barrier-suppression ionization is briefly
discussed. Further the relativistic version of the Landau-Dykhne formula is
employed to consider the semiclassical sub-barrier ionization. Simple
analytical expressions have been found for: (i) the rates of the strong-field
nonlinear ionization including relativistic initial and final state effects;
(ii) the most probable value of the components of the photoelectron final state
momentum; (iii) the most probable direction of photoelectron emission and (iv)
the distribution of the photoelectron momentum near its maximum value.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.
Double Ionization by Strong Elliptically Polarized Laser Pulses
We join the tribute to Professor N.B. Delone in this memorial issue by
presenting the results of new calculations on the effects of ellipticity on
double ionization by short and strong near-optical laser pulses.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures, accepted in Professor N.B. Delone's memorial
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Effect of electron exchange on atomic ionization in a strong electric field
Hartree-Fock atom in a strong electric static field is considered. It is
demonstrated that exchange between outer and inner electrons, taken into
account by the so-called Fock term affects strongly the long-range behavior of
the inner electron wave function. As a result, it dramatically increases its
probability to be ionized. A simple model is analyzed demonstrating that the
decay probability, compared to the case of a local (Hartree) atomic potential,
increases by many orders of magnitude. As a result of such increase, the ratio
of inner to outer electrons ionization probability became not too small. It is
essential that the effect of exchange upon probability of inner electron
ionization by strong electric field is proportional to the square of the number
of outer electrons. It signals that in clusters the inner electron ionization
by strong field, the very fact of which is manifested by e.g. high energy
quanta emission, has to be essentially increased as compared to this process in
gaseous atomic objects.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur
Mindblind eyes: an absence of spontaneous theory of mind in Asperger syndrome
Adults with Asperger syndrome can understand mental states such as desires and beliefs (mentalizing) when explicitly prompted to do so, despite having impairments in social communication. We directly tested the hypothesis that such individuals nevertheless fail to mentalize spontaneously. To this end, we used an eye-tracking task that has revealed the spontaneous ability to mentalize in typically developing infants. We showed that, like infants, neurotypical adults’ (n = 17 participants) eye movements anticipated an actor’s behavior on the basis of her false belief. This was not the case for individuals with Asperger syndrome (n = 19). Thus, these individuals do not attribute mental states spontaneously, but they may be able to do so in explicit tasks through compensatory learning
Online advertising and marketing claims by providers of proton beam therapy: Are they guideline-based?
Background: Cancer patients frequently search the Internet for treatment options, and hospital websites are seen as reliable sources of knowledge. Guidelines support the use of proton radiotherapy in specific disease sites or on clinical trials. This study aims to evaluate direct-to-consumer advertising content and claims made by proton therapy centre (PTC) websites worldwide. Methods: Operational PTC websites in English were identified through the Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group website. Data abstraction of website content was performed independently by two investigators. Eight international guidelines were consulted to determine guideline-based indications for proton radiotherapy. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine the characteristics of PTC websites that indicated proton radiotherapy offered greater disease control or cure rates. Results: Forty-eight PTCs with 46 English websites were identified. 60·9% of PTC websites claimed proton therapy provided improved disease control or cure. U.S. websites listed more indications than international websites (15·5 ± 5·4 vs. 10·4 ± 5·8, p = 0·004). The most common disease sites advertised were prostate (87·0%), head and neck (87·0%) and pediatrics (82·6%), all of which were indicated in least one international guideline. Several disease sites advertised were not present in any consensus guidelines, including pancreatobiliary (52·2%), breast (50·0%), and esophageal (43·5%) cancers. Multivariate analysis found increasing number of disease sites and claiming their centre was a local or regional leader in proton radiotherapy was associated with indicating proton radiotherapy offers greater disease control or cure. Conclusions: Information from PTC websites often differs from recommendations found in international consensus guidelines. As online marketing information may have significant influence on patient decision-making, alignment of such information with accepted guidelines and consensus opinion should be adopted by PTC providers
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