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 Experimental and Theoretical Physics Letters

Photoionization of Atomic Systems in Squeezed States of Light

Stepan N. Balybin, Olga V. Tikhonova

Published Jun 1, 2019• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The ionization of an atom by a nonclassical electromagnetic field has been studied by a method developed to obtain results for an arbitrary initial state of the field, including squeezed vacuum with a large average number of photons. Characteristics of the ionization of atomic systems by nonclassical squeezed light have been demonstrated for the first time. In contrast to the case of a coherent field, a significantly smoother decrease in the contributions of different above-threshold channels to ionization has been found. Features of photo-electron spectra in continuum have been revealed for the first time as a significant overlapping of peaks from different ionization channels.

DOI
10.1134/s0021364019110043

Related papers

High-order above-threshold ionization by squeezed coherent light

D. Habibović, Dejan B. Milošević

Squeezed coherent quantum light is described by the complex squeeze parameter ζ = s e i ϑ and the coherent-state displacement parameter β = | β | e i ϕ β . Our study of strong-field ionization [D. Habibović and D. B. Milošević, ], which focused on bright squeezed vacuum quantum light with β = 0 and s ≫ 1 , is extended to ionization by squeezed coherent light. It is shown that the amplitudes s and | β | strongly influence the ionization process, whereas phases ϑ and ϕ β play a less significant role. The present work provides a unified treatment of coherent, squeezed vacuum, and squeezed coherent light within a single theoretical framework. The quantum nature of the driving field is incorporated by averaging the strong-field ionization probability over the Husimi-Kano phase-space distribution. Using neon as a representative target, we analyze how the parameters characterizing squeezed coherent light modify photoelectron spectra and intensity-dependent enhancements. We show that nonclassical photon statistics can lead to a pronounced steepening of the rescattering plateau and, at low mean intensities, to an effective suppression of the nominal high-energy cutoff. These effects originate from the reduced weight of high-intensity field components inherent to squeezed states and have no analog in strong-field ionization driven by a coherent light. Our results highlight the potential for quantum-statistical control of strong-field ionization and provide a foundation for exploring laser-matter interactions driven by quantum light.

Physical Review A•Apr 6, 2026•0 citations

Microscopic analysis of above-threshold ionization driven by squeezed light

Javier Rivera-Dean, Philipp Stammer, Carla Figueira de Morisson Faria +1 more

Above-threshold ionization (ATI) is a strong-field-driven process where electrons absorb more photons than required for ionization. While ATI dynamics and outputs are well-understood when driven by classical, perfectly coherent light, the recent development of nonclassical light sources for strong-field phenomena has spurred interest in their effect on the involved electron dynamics. In this work, we present a microscopic quantum optical theory describing ATI under the influence of strong squeezed light. We observe that squeezed light significantly enhances the coupling between light and matter, making their mutual backaction more important than under classical driving. This backaction profoundly impacts the electronic ionization times, as well as the nonclassical properties of the joint electron-light state. This results in pronounced entanglement features, both immediately after ionization and at later times. These entanglement features are reflected in the properties of the quantum optical state of the driving field, revealing notable non-Gaussian features that depend on both the amount of squeezing and the number of ionization events occurring during the interaction.

arXiv:2508.01621•Physical Review A•Oct 28, 2025•7 citations

Effect of photon quantum statistics on electrons in above-threshold ionization

Zijian Lyu, Feng-Xiao Sun, Yiqi Fang +2 more

Strong field physics and quantum optics, two prosperous fields in modern science, have recently been connected with each other. Here, we study the quantum effect of bright squeezed vacuum light and thermal light on above-threshold ionization. With quantum strong-field approximation theory, we reveal a decoherence phenomenon caused by the statistics of photons, in which above-threshold ionization could be degenerated into a classical-like picture under the effect of quantum light. This represents a direct transition from the wavelike nature to the particlelike behavior of photoelectrons. We also reveal the ionization enhancement effect of the bunched light in photoionization from the perspective of autocorrelation function g ( n ) . The number distributions of electrons ionized by different quantum light fields are studied, and it is shown that the photon number distribution can be mapped onto the photoelectron number distribution. This finding enables the production of bunched electrons with strong-field ionization with quantum light.

Physical Review Research•Mar 18, 2025•17 citations

Atomic Double Ionization with Quantum Light

Haoyu Liu, Hanxu Zhang, Xu Wang +1 more

Quantum light-specifically light in noncoherent quantum states-can now be generated with intensities high enough to induce nonlinear responses in atoms, marking the emergence of a new "quantum era" in strong-field atomic physics. In this Letter, we explore the influence of quantum states of light on one of the key processes in this field: atomic double ionization. We develop a theoretical framework to model the interaction between a two-electron atom and light in arbitrary quantum states, such as phase-squeezed coherent states or bright squeezed vacuum states. Our results reveal that the quantum state of light significantly impacts the atomic double ionization process, leading to substantial changes in ionization probability and correlated electron momentum distribution.

Physical Review Letters•Mar 26, 2025•22 citations

Dynamics of ionisation and entanglement in the 'atom + quantum electromagnetic field' system

Polina R. Sharapova, Olga V. Tikhonova

The dynamics of a model Rydberg atom in a strong nonclassical electromagnetic field is investigated. The field-induced transitions to the continuum involving different numbers of photons (with intermediate states in the discrete spectrum) are taken into account and the specific features of ionisation in 'squeezed' field states are considered in comparison with the case of classical light. A significant decrease in the ionisation rate is found, which is caused by the interference stabilisation of the atomic system. The entanglement of the atomic and field subsystems, the temporal dynamics of the correlations found, and the possibility of measuring them are analysed.

Quantum Electronics•Mar 31, 2012•8 citations

Stabilization of atoms in strong non-classical electromagnetic fields

Anna V. Bogatskaya, A. M. Popov

The dynamics of an atom in a strong single mode non-classical electromagnetic cavity field is studied. The reconstruction of the energy spectrum of atom and the effect of the ionization suppression in the presence of non-classical field are discussed. It is found that Kramers – Henneberger mechanism of the ionization suppression is realized in strong nonclassical fields also. For squeezed vacuum states the threshold of the stabilization is approximately three times lower than for classical (coherent) state of the same intensity.

Journal of Physics Conference Series•Aug 28, 2013•0 citations
The ionization of an atom by a nonclassical electromagnetic field has been studied by a method developed to obtain results for an arbitrary initial state of the field, including squeezed vacuum with a large average number of photons. Characteristics of the ionization of atomic systems by nonclassical squeezed light have been demonstrated for the first time. In contrast to the case of a coherent field, a significantly smoother decrease in the contributions of different above-threshold channels to ionization has been found. Features of photo-electron spectra in continuum have been revealed for the first time as a significant overlapping of peaks from different ionization channels.
Squeezed coherent quantum light is described by the complex squeeze parameter ζ = s e i ϑ and the coherent-state displacement parameter β = | β | e i ϕ β . Our study of strong-field ionization [D. Habibović and D. B. Milošević, ], which focused on bright squeezed vacuum quantum light with β = 0 and s ≫ 1 , is extended to ionization by squeezed coherent light. It is shown that the amplitudes s and | β | strongly influence the ionization process, whereas phases ϑ and ϕ β play a less significant role. The present work provides a unified treatment of coherent, squeezed vacuum, and squeezed coherent light within a single theoretical framework. The quantum nature of the driving field is incorporated by averaging the strong-field ionization probability over the Husimi-Kano phase-space distribution. Using neon as a representative target, we analyze how the parameters characterizing squeezed coherent light modify photoelectron spectra and intensity-dependent enhancements. We show that nonclassical photon statistics can lead to a pronounced steepening of the rescattering plateau and, at low mean intensities, to an effective suppression of the nominal high-energy cutoff. These effects originate from the reduced weight of high-intensity field components inherent to squeezed states and have no analog in strong-field ionization driven by a coherent light. Our results highlight the potential for quantum-statistical control of strong-field ionization and provide a foundation for exploring laser-matter interactions driven by quantum light.
Above-threshold ionization (ATI) is a strong-field-driven process where electrons absorb more photons than required for ionization. While ATI dynamics and outputs are well-understood when driven by classical, perfectly coherent light, the recent development of nonclassical light sources for strong-field phenomena has spurred interest in their effect on the involved electron dynamics. In this work, we present a microscopic quantum optical theory describing ATI under the influence of strong squeezed light. We observe that squeezed light significantly enhances the coupling between light and matter, making their mutual backaction more important than under classical driving. This backaction profoundly impacts the electronic ionization times, as well as the nonclassical properties of the joint electron-light state. This results in pronounced entanglement features, both immediately after ionization and at later times. These entanglement features are reflected in the properties of the quantum optical state of the driving field, revealing notable non-Gaussian features that depend on both the amount of squeezing and the number of ionization events occurring during the interaction.
Strong field physics and quantum optics, two prosperous fields in modern science, have recently been connected with each other. Here, we study the quantum effect of bright squeezed vacuum light and thermal light on above-threshold ionization. With quantum strong-field approximation theory, we reveal a decoherence phenomenon caused by the statistics of photons, in which above-threshold ionization could be degenerated into a classical-like picture under the effect of quantum light. This represents a direct transition from the wavelike nature to the particlelike behavior of photoelectrons. We also reveal the ionization enhancement effect of the bunched light in photoionization from the perspective of autocorrelation function g ( n ) . The number distributions of electrons ionized by different quantum light fields are studied, and it is shown that the photon number distribution can be mapped onto the photoelectron number distribution. This finding enables the production of bunched electrons with strong-field ionization with quantum light.
Quantum light-specifically light in noncoherent quantum states-can now be generated with intensities high enough to induce nonlinear responses in atoms, marking the emergence of a new "quantum era" in strong-field atomic physics. In this Letter, we explore the influence of quantum states of light on one of the key processes in this field: atomic double ionization. We develop a theoretical framework to model the interaction between a two-electron atom and light in arbitrary quantum states, such as phase-squeezed coherent states or bright squeezed vacuum states. Our results reveal that the quantum state of light significantly impacts the atomic double ionization process, leading to substantial changes in ionization probability and correlated electron momentum distribution.
The dynamics of a model Rydberg atom in a strong nonclassical electromagnetic field is investigated. The field-induced transitions to the continuum involving different numbers of photons (with intermediate states in the discrete spectrum) are taken into account and the specific features of ionisation in 'squeezed' field states are considered in comparison with the case of classical light. A significant decrease in the ionisation rate is found, which is caused by the interference stabilisation of the atomic system. The entanglement of the atomic and field subsystems, the temporal dynamics of the correlations found, and the possibility of measuring them are analysed.
The dynamics of an atom in a strong single mode non-classical electromagnetic cavity field is studied. The reconstruction of the energy spectrum of atom and the effect of the ionization suppression in the presence of non-classical field are discussed. It is found that Kramers – Henneberger mechanism of the ionization suppression is realized in strong nonclassical fields also. For squeezed vacuum states the threshold of the stabilization is approximately three times lower than for classical (coherent) state of the same intensity.