Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics

Asymmetries in multiphoton ionization of the ground state of a hydrogen atom

Nilam Shrestha, Ramaswamy Radhakrishnan, R. B. Thayyullathil

Published May 1, 2014• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

This paper illustrates the study on asymmetry of the angular distribution of the ejected electrons in a multiphoton process from the ground state of a hydrogen atom. General expressions for the multiphoton ionization rates have been derived based on a variation of the Dalgarno–Lewis method for the evaluation of matrix elements in higher order perturbation theory. In addition, these analytical expressions for the various multiphoton transition rates and their variation as a function of polarization, phase, frequency and intensity of the incident radiation have been studied extensively. The general expression obtained can be used to analyse any number of incident beams with arbitrary polarization, phase and intensity.

DOI
10.1088/0953-4075/47/10/105002

Related papers

Nonresonant multiphoton ionization in atomic hydrogen

Rajesh Radhakrishnan, R. B. Thayyullathil

The infinite summations over the complete set of unperturbed atomic states appearing in the $N$th-order perturbation theory for multiphoton ionization are performed using the Dalgarno-Lewis method. The relevant transition matrix elements are written in a closed integral form exhibiting all the analytic properties of the amplitude as a function of incident photon energy. The cross sections for two- and three-photon ionization for atomic hydrogen are calculated for both linearly and circularly polarized light with a wide range of photon energy spectrum including the near resonance, and numerical comparison is made with the values obtained by different methods.

Physical Review A•Mar 22, 2004•12 citations

Multiphoton Ionization of Atoms by Two Radiation Fields: Theory and Calculations for Hydrogen

C. Leone, Saverio Bivona, R. Burlon +1 more

An approximate non-perturbative theory of multiphoton ionization of a hydrogen atom by two strong radiation fields is outlined. The special case is then considered for when one of the fields is of low intensity and high frequency and the other field is of high intensity and low frequency. A set of representative calculations has been performed for this case; that is, (a) angular distributions for given numbers of absorbed and emitted low-frequency photons and different geometries; (b) total cross-sections versus the strong-field intensity; (c) angular distributions summed over all the low-frequency photon exchanges, showing a fourfold symmetry in a geometry in which each ionization channel exhibits, instead, only a twofold symmetry; (d) the average energy gained by the ejected electrons. Calculations are performed for a strong low-frequency field of arbitrary polarization. In many respects, the present calculations are expected to complement those of single-field multiphoton ionization. It is hoped that the results of the calculations reported here may prompt systematic measurements also in this new class of processes, as the predictions are well within the state of the art of present multiphoton-ionization experiments.

Journal of Modern Optics•Jul 1, 1989•3 citations

Polarization phenomena in multiphoton ionization of atoms

V. L. Jacobs

The theory of multiphoton ionization for an atomic system of arbitrary complexity is developed using a density matrix formalism. An expression is obtained which determines the differential N-photon ionization cross section as a function of the polarization states of the target atom and the incident radiation. The parameters which characterize the photo-electron angular distribution are related to the general reduced matrix elements for the N-photon transition. Two-photon ionization of unpolarized atoms is treated as an illustration of the use of the theory. The dependence of the multiphoton ionization cross section on the polarization state of the incident radiation, which has been observed in two- and three-photon ionization of Cs, is accounted for by the theory. Finally, the photoelectron spin polarization produced by the multiphoton ionization of unpolarized atoms, like the analogous polarization resulting from single-photon ionization, is found to depend on the circular polarization of the incident radiation.

Journal of Physics B Atomic and Molecular Physics•Aug 1, 1973•28 citations

Multiphoton Ionization of Atomic Hydrogen in the Ground State

Yves Gontier, M. Trahin

The general theory of multiphoton ionization of hydrogen atoms by simultaneous absorption of several photons is discussed. In the nonrelativistic dipole approximation, the calculations lead to a recursion relationship concerning angular functions and involve radial matrix elements containing many summations over intermediate states. A general method for exactly evaluating several sums is described in detail and applied to the photo-ionization of atomic hydrogen in the ground state. Numerical results are presented as dispersion curves of the transition rate $\frac{{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{n}}{{I}^{N\ensuremath{-}1}}$ for a range of wavelengths from 1000 up to 7200 \AA{}.

Physical Review•Aug 5, 1968•133 citations

Studies on Non-Resonant Multiphoton Processes in Atomic Hydrogen

Rajesh Radhakrishnan, Thiyagarajan babu

In the present thesis we have formulated the Dalgarno-Lewis procedure\nfor two-and three-photon processes and an elegant alternate expressions\nare derived. Starting from a brief review on various multiphoton processes\nwe have discussed the difficulties coming in the perturbative treatment\nof multiphoton processes. A small discussion on various available methods\nfor studying multiphoton processes are presented in chapter 2. These\ntheoretical treatments mainly concentrate on the evaluation of the higher\norder matrix elements coming in the perturbation theory. In chapter 3 we\nhave described the use of Dalgarno-Lewis procedure and its implimentation on second order matrix elements. The analytical expressions for twophoton\ntransition amplitude, two-photon ionization cross section, dipole\ndynamic polarizability and Kramers-Heiseberg are obtained in a unified\nmanner. Fourth chapter is an extension of the implicit summation technique\npresented in chapter 3. We have clearly mentioned the advantage of\nour method, especially the analytical continuation of the relevant expressions\nsuited for various values of radiation frequency which is also used for\nefficient numerical analysis.\nA possible extension of the work is to study various multiphoton processcs\nfrom the stark shifted first excited states of hydrogen atom. We\ncan also extend this procedure for studying multiphoton processes in alkali\natoms as well as Rydberg atoms. Also, instead of going for analytical expressions,\none can try a complete numerical evaluation of the higher order\nmatrix elements using this procedure.

•Jul 1, 2008•0 citations

Two-colour three-photon ionization of hydrogen

Magda Fifirig, Aurelia Cionga, Viorica Florescu

Based on analytical equations valid in perturbation theory, we study the process of ionization of the ground state of the hydrogen atom by the absorption of three photons, two of them being of the same frequency. Results are given for the total ionization rate and for the angular distribution of the ejected electrons, in a regime of frequencies in which two-colour two-photon ionization is not possible. The case of orthogonal photon polarizations, investigated in some detail, displays a strong dependence on the electron direction.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Jun 14, 1997•11 citations
This paper illustrates the study on asymmetry of the angular distribution of the ejected electrons in a multiphoton process from the ground state of a hydrogen atom. General expressions for the multiphoton ionization rates have been derived based on a variation of the Dalgarno–Lewis method for the evaluation of matrix elements in higher order perturbation theory. In addition, these analytical expressions for the various multiphoton transition rates and their variation as a function of polarization, phase, frequency and intensity of the incident radiation have been studied extensively. The general expression obtained can be used to analyse any number of incident beams with arbitrary polarization, phase and intensity.
The infinite summations over the complete set of unperturbed atomic states appearing in the NNNth-order perturbation theory for multiphoton ionization are performed using the Dalgarno-Lewis method. The relevant transition matrix elements are written in a closed integral form exhibiting all the analytic properties of the amplitude as a function of incident photon energy. The cross sections for two- and three-photon ionization for atomic hydrogen are calculated for both linearly and circularly polarized light with a wide range of photon energy spectrum including the near resonance, and numerical comparison is made with the values obtained by different methods.
An approximate non-perturbative theory of multiphoton ionization of a hydrogen atom by two strong radiation fields is outlined. The special case is then considered for when one of the fields is of low intensity and high frequency and the other field is of high intensity and low frequency. A set of representative calculations has been performed for this case; that is, (a) angular distributions for given numbers of absorbed and emitted low-frequency photons and different geometries; (b) total cross-sections versus the strong-field intensity; (c) angular distributions summed over all the low-frequency photon exchanges, showing a fourfold symmetry in a geometry in which each ionization channel exhibits, instead, only a twofold symmetry; (d) the average energy gained by the ejected electrons. Calculations are performed for a strong low-frequency field of arbitrary polarization. In many respects, the present calculations are expected to complement those of single-field multiphoton ionization. It is hoped that the results of the calculations reported here may prompt systematic measurements also in this new class of processes, as the predictions are well within the state of the art of present multiphoton-ionization experiments.
The theory of multiphoton ionization for an atomic system of arbitrary complexity is developed using a density matrix formalism. An expression is obtained which determines the differential N-photon ionization cross section as a function of the polarization states of the target atom and the incident radiation. The parameters which characterize the photo-electron angular distribution are related to the general reduced matrix elements for the N-photon transition. Two-photon ionization of unpolarized atoms is treated as an illustration of the use of the theory. The dependence of the multiphoton ionization cross section on the polarization state of the incident radiation, which has been observed in two- and three-photon ionization of Cs, is accounted for by the theory. Finally, the photoelectron spin polarization produced by the multiphoton ionization of unpolarized atoms, like the analogous polarization resulting from single-photon ionization, is found to depend on the circular polarization of the incident radiation.
The general theory of multiphoton ionization of hydrogen atoms by simultaneous absorption of several photons is discussed. In the nonrelativistic dipole approximation, the calculations lead to a recursion relationship concerning angular functions and involve radial matrix elements containing many summations over intermediate states. A general method for exactly evaluating several sums is described in detail and applied to the photo-ionization of atomic hydrogen in the ground state. Numerical results are presented as dispersion curves of the transition rate $\frac{{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{n}}{{I}^{N\ensuremath{-}1}}$ for a range of wavelengths from 1000 up to 7200 \AA{}.
In the present thesis we have formulated the Dalgarno-Lewis procedure\nfor two-and three-photon processes and an elegant alternate expressions\nare derived. Starting from a brief review on various multiphoton processes\nwe have discussed the difficulties coming in the perturbative treatment\nof multiphoton processes. A small discussion on various available methods\nfor studying multiphoton processes are presented in chapter 2. These\ntheoretical treatments mainly concentrate on the evaluation of the higher\norder matrix elements coming in the perturbation theory. In chapter 3 we\nhave described the use of Dalgarno-Lewis procedure and its implimentation on second order matrix elements. The analytical expressions for twophoton\ntransition amplitude, two-photon ionization cross section, dipole\ndynamic polarizability and Kramers-Heiseberg are obtained in a unified\nmanner. Fourth chapter is an extension of the implicit summation technique\npresented in chapter 3. We have clearly mentioned the advantage of\nour method, especially the analytical continuation of the relevant expressions\nsuited for various values of radiation frequency which is also used for\nefficient numerical analysis.\nA possible extension of the work is to study various multiphoton processcs\nfrom the stark shifted first excited states of hydrogen atom. We\ncan also extend this procedure for studying multiphoton processes in alkali\natoms as well as Rydberg atoms. Also, instead of going for analytical expressions,\none can try a complete numerical evaluation of the higher order\nmatrix elements using this procedure.
Based on analytical equations valid in perturbation theory, we study the process of ionization of the ground state of the hydrogen atom by the absorption of three photons, two of them being of the same frequency. Results are given for the total ionization rate and for the angular distribution of the ejected electrons, in a regime of frequencies in which two-colour two-photon ionization is not possible. The case of orthogonal photon polarizations, investigated in some detail, displays a strong dependence on the electron direction.