Multiphoton ionization interference effects

K. C. Mathur

Niels J. Kylstra

Philip M. Johnson, Leping Li, R. N. Porter

Douglas Jackson, James J. Wynne, Peter H. Kes

A general theoretical model for the treatment of multiphoton ionization is presented. In this treatment, we have explicitly included coherent effects resulting from harmonic generation. The predictions of this model are in agreement with experimental observations that we present in this paper. In addition, the model is contrasted with much earlier theoretical treatments of multiphoton ionization and accounts for the anomalous multiphoton-ionization behavior reported by others in the literature.

A. D. Gazazyan, M. A. Sarkissian

R. R. Jones

Sodium atoms are ionized by 777 nm, 150 fs laser pulses. Modulations are observed in the multiphoton ionization yield as a function of laser intensity. The oscillations are attributed to Ramsey interference caused by coherent population transfer between bound states at two different times during a single laser pulse.