Abstract
Electron-core interactions play a key role in strong-field ionization and the formation of photoelectron spectra. We analyze the temporal dynamics of strong-field ionization associated with these interactions using the time-dependent analytical -matrix (ARM) method, developed in our previous work [Phys. Rev. A 88, 013421 (2013)]. The approach is fully quantum but includes the concept of trajectories. However, the trajectories are not classical in the sense that they have both real and imaginary components all the way to the detector. We show that the imaginary parts of these trajectories, which are usually ignored, have a clear physical meaning and are crucial for the correct description of electron-core interactions after ionization. In particular, they give rise to electron deceleration, as well as dynamics associated with electron recapture and release. Our approach is analytical and time dependent and allows one to gain access to the electron energy distribution and ionization yield as a function of time. Thus we can also rigorously answer the question: when is ionization completed?
2 More- Received 5 August 2013
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.88.053403
©2013 American Physical Society