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

Physical Review A

Off-resonance-enhanced polarization control in two-color atomic ionization

Diego I. R. Boll, Lara Martini, O A Fojón, Alicia Palacios

Published Jan 21, 2020• 6 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We investigate a polarization control scheme in two-color two-photon atomic ionization. Experiments employing free-electron laser or high-order harmonic generation sources have shown light polarization dependencies in above threshold ionization of atoms assisted with an IR field. These were mostly performed at relatively high photoelectron energies where the soft-photon approximation remains valid. We use here a perturbation theory approach to show the larger degree of control that can be attained when the short wavelength photon energy is below the ionization threshold. This largely unexplored energy region offers unique possibilities to achieve polarization control of the reaction.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.101.013428

Related papers

Dependence of above-threshold ionization spectrum on polarization directions of two-color laser fields

Min Liu, Yingchun Guo, Bingbing Wang

Using the frequency-domain theory, we investigate the above-threshold ionization (ATI) process of an atom in two-color laser fields. When both photon energies of the two-color laser fields are much smaller than the atomic ionization threshold, the ATI spectrum depends on the angle between the two lasers' polarization directions. While when the photon energy of one laser is comparable with or larger than the atomic ionization threshold, the ATI spectrum is independent of the angle, and only several dips appear at certain angles. By analyzing the contributions of different quantum channels, we find that, for the case that both frequencies of the two color lasers are low, the quantum interferences between the channels are strong, and hence the spectrum changes with the angle between the two lasers' polarization directions. While for the case that the frequency of one of the two color lasers is high, the contributions of the channels to the ATI spectrum decrease dramatically with increasing channel order, hence the interferences between the channels disappear, and the ATI spectrum has a step-like structure, which is independent of the angle between the two lasers' polarizations. These results can shed light on the study of the corresponding relation between classical and quantum mechanisms of the matter–laser interaction in high-frequency laser fields.

Chinese Physics B•Jun 25, 2015•9 citations

Two-color coherent control of atomic multiphoton ionization with high-order harmonics: time-dependent Schrödinger equation treatment

Richard Taïeb, Valérie Vëniard, A. Maquet

We present a theoretical study of the main characteristics of two-color photoionization spectra obtained when atoms are subjected to an intense radiation pulse containing the fundamental of an infrared laser and one of its higher harmonics. The frequency of the latter is chosen to be high enough that the atom can be ionized by a single photon. The calculation is performed by numerical integration of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for a (three-dimensional) hydrogen atom. We present the general properties of the spectra and angular distributions as well as the possible occurrence of interferences between the laser-assisted process and above-threshold ionization. Our results indicate that such interference effects, which can lead to partial coherent control of the photoionization process, can be observed at moderate laser intensities within the reach of currently operated laser and harmonic sources.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Feb 1, 1996•25 citations

Spatially and temporally controlling electron spin polarization in strong-field ionization using orthogonal two-color laser fields

Meng Han, Peipei Ge, Mingming Liu +2 more

We propose a scheme to produce spatially and temporally controlled spin-polarized photoelectrons by strong-field ionization of atoms. We calculate the momentum-resolved electron spin polarization from two spin-orbit coupled ionic states ($J=1/2$ and $J=3/2$) of krypton atoms in orthogonal two-color laser fields using the strong-field approximation, and obtain the instantaneous spin-polarization degree. With this scheme, the spin-up and -down photoelectrons can be well separated in the space, and the spin polarization is controlled on the sub-laser-cycle timescale. This study illustrates and reveals the mechanism of the generation of spin-polarized photoelectrons with an arbitrary spatially and temporally tailored laser field. We expect this work has implications for controlling the spatiotemporal spin polarization in strong-field physics.

Physical Review A•Feb 4, 2019•18 citations

Spin polarization of photoelectrons in bichromatic extreme-ultraviolet atomic ionization

Грызлова Елена Владимировна, Maria M. Popova, Alexei N. Grum-Grzhimailo

Spin polarization of photoelectrons is considered in the ionization of atoms by a laser field and its second harmonic, concentrating on the effects of interference between the two ionization paths. The possibility for a crucial increase of the spin polarization by manipulating the relative phase of the harmonics is demonstrated. Observation of these effects, exemplified by the ionization of neon atoms, is accessible by modern free-electron lasers working in the extreme-ultraviolet wavelength regime.

Physical Review A•Nov 25, 2020•8 citations

Two-photon ionization of many-electron atoms

J. Hofbrucker

Until recently, the nonlinear interaction between light and matter has been restricted to only low photon energies produced by optical lasers. However, about a decade ago, the rise of free-electron laser facilities revolutionized the field of nonlinear light-matter interaction by delivering intense high-energy light pulses. Today, such lasers are used for research in materials science, chemical technology, biophysical science, solid state physics as well as fundamental research. It is the new experimental possibilities provided by free-electron lasers that motivated the work presented in this thesis. Two-photon ionization process is one of the simplest nonlinear interactions in which absorption of two photons by an atom (or a molecule) leads to promoting one of its bound electrons to continuum. This work presents studies of two-photon ionization of neutral atoms. After a brief historical introduction to the topic of nonlinear light-matter interaction, the density matrix describing the state of an atom and a photoelectron following two-photon ionization is derived. In each successive chapter, part of this density matrix is used to obtain characteristic quantities such as total two-photon ionization cross section, photoelectron angular distributions, ion polarization or degree of polarization of fluorescence photon produced by subsequent decay of the photoion. Physical properties of these quantities are studied and intriguing phenomena, such as elliptical dichroism, polarization transfer as well as relativistic and screening effects are investigated.

•Jan 1, 2020•0 citations

dc Field-Induced, Phase and Polarization Control of Interference between One- and Two-Photon Ionization Amplitudes

Nikolai L. Manakov, Vitalii D Ovsiannikov, Anthony F. Starace

We demonstrate that a weak, static electric field enables nearly complete coherent phase control of the total ionization yield in a two-color ionization process using fundamental and second-harmonic radiation. The static electric field induces a dipole-forbidden resonance in the two-photon transition amplitude so that the final photoelectron states are identical to those in a single photon transition. We demonstrate also a phase controllable circular dichroism effect in the total photoelectron yield. Experimental realization of this process using alkali metal atoms is discussed.

Physical Review Letters•Jun 14, 1999•27 citations
We investigate a polarization control scheme in two-color two-photon atomic ionization. Experiments employing free-electron laser or high-order harmonic generation sources have shown light polarization dependencies in above threshold ionization of atoms assisted with an IR field. These were mostly performed at relatively high photoelectron energies where the soft-photon approximation remains valid. We use here a perturbation theory approach to show the larger degree of control that can be attained when the short wavelength photon energy is below the ionization threshold. This largely unexplored energy region offers unique possibilities to achieve polarization control of the reaction.
Using the frequency-domain theory, we investigate the above-threshold ionization (ATI) process of an atom in two-color laser fields. When both photon energies of the two-color laser fields are much smaller than the atomic ionization threshold, the ATI spectrum depends on the angle between the two lasers' polarization directions. While when the photon energy of one laser is comparable with or larger than the atomic ionization threshold, the ATI spectrum is independent of the angle, and only several dips appear at certain angles. By analyzing the contributions of different quantum channels, we find that, for the case that both frequencies of the two color lasers are low, the quantum interferences between the channels are strong, and hence the spectrum changes with the angle between the two lasers' polarization directions. While for the case that the frequency of one of the two color lasers is high, the contributions of the channels to the ATI spectrum decrease dramatically with increasing channel order, hence the interferences between the channels disappear, and the ATI spectrum has a step-like structure, which is independent of the angle between the two lasers' polarizations. These results can shed light on the study of the corresponding relation between classical and quantum mechanisms of the matter–laser interaction in high-frequency laser fields.
We present a theoretical study of the main characteristics of two-color photoionization spectra obtained when atoms are subjected to an intense radiation pulse containing the fundamental of an infrared laser and one of its higher harmonics. The frequency of the latter is chosen to be high enough that the atom can be ionized by a single photon. The calculation is performed by numerical integration of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for a (three-dimensional) hydrogen atom. We present the general properties of the spectra and angular distributions as well as the possible occurrence of interferences between the laser-assisted process and above-threshold ionization. Our results indicate that such interference effects, which can lead to partial coherent control of the photoionization process, can be observed at moderate laser intensities within the reach of currently operated laser and harmonic sources.
We propose a scheme to produce spatially and temporally controlled spin-polarized photoelectrons by strong-field ionization of atoms. We calculate the momentum-resolved electron spin polarization from two spin-orbit coupled ionic states (J=1/2J=1/2J=1/2 and J=3/2J=3/2J=3/2) of krypton atoms in orthogonal two-color laser fields using the strong-field approximation, and obtain the instantaneous spin-polarization degree. With this scheme, the spin-up and -down photoelectrons can be well separated in the space, and the spin polarization is controlled on the sub-laser-cycle timescale. This study illustrates and reveals the mechanism of the generation of spin-polarized photoelectrons with an arbitrary spatially and temporally tailored laser field. We expect this work has implications for controlling the spatiotemporal spin polarization in strong-field physics.
Spin polarization of photoelectrons is considered in the ionization of atoms by a laser field and its second harmonic, concentrating on the effects of interference between the two ionization paths. The possibility for a crucial increase of the spin polarization by manipulating the relative phase of the harmonics is demonstrated. Observation of these effects, exemplified by the ionization of neon atoms, is accessible by modern free-electron lasers working in the extreme-ultraviolet wavelength regime.
Until recently, the nonlinear interaction between light and matter has been restricted to only low photon energies produced by optical lasers. However, about a decade ago, the rise of free-electron laser facilities revolutionized the field of nonlinear light-matter interaction by delivering intense high-energy light pulses. Today, such lasers are used for research in materials science, chemical technology, biophysical science, solid state physics as well as fundamental research. It is the new experimental possibilities provided by free-electron lasers that motivated the work presented in this thesis. Two-photon ionization process is one of the simplest nonlinear interactions in which absorption of two photons by an atom (or a molecule) leads to promoting one of its bound electrons to continuum. This work presents studies of two-photon ionization of neutral atoms. After a brief historical introduction to the topic of nonlinear light-matter interaction, the density matrix describing the state of an atom and a photoelectron following two-photon ionization is derived. In each successive chapter, part of this density matrix is used to obtain characteristic quantities such as total two-photon ionization cross section, photoelectron angular distributions, ion polarization or degree of polarization of fluorescence photon produced by subsequent decay of the photoion. Physical properties of these quantities are studied and intriguing phenomena, such as elliptical dichroism, polarization transfer as well as relativistic and screening effects are investigated.
We demonstrate that a weak, static electric field enables nearly complete coherent phase control of the total ionization yield in a two-color ionization process using fundamental and second-harmonic radiation. The static electric field induces a dipole-forbidden resonance in the two-photon transition amplitude so that the final photoelectron states are identical to those in a single photon transition. We demonstrate also a phase controllable circular dichroism effect in the total photoelectron yield. Experimental realization of this process using alkali metal atoms is discussed.