Applications of Adiabatic Approximation to One- and Two-electron Phenomena in Strong Laser Fields

TL;DR

This paper develops an adiabatic approximation method for analyzing ionization phenomena in atoms and molecules under strong low-frequency laser fields, addressing bound-free transitions and tunneling trajectories.

Contribution

It derives a universal adiabatic approximation for bound-free transitions based on Savichev's method and applies it to single and double ionization, introducing the concept of leading tunnelling trajectories.

Findings

Derived a convenient adiabatic approximation form for ionization problems.

Proved that leading tunnelling trajectories are linear for short-range interactions.

Discussed physical implications of tunnelling trajectory linearity.

Abstract

The adiabatic approximation is a natural approach for the description of phenomena induced by low frequency laser radiation because the ratio of the laser frequency to the characteristic frequency of an atom or a molecule is a small parameter. Since the main aim of this work is the study of ionization phenomena, the version of the adiabatic approximation that can account for the transition from a bound state to the continuum must be employed. Despite much work in this topic, a universally accepted adiabatic approach of bound-free transitions is lacking. Hence, based on Savichev's modified adiabatic approximation [Sov. Phys. JETP 73, 803 (1991)], we first of all derive the most convenient form of the adiabatic approximation for the problems at hand. Connections of the obtained result with the quasiclassical approximation and other previous investigations are discussed. Then, such an adiabatic approximation is applied to single-electron ionization and non-sequential double ionization of atoms in a strong low frequency laser field. Single-electron molecular ionization is also studied. Based on the geometrical approach to tunnelling by P. D. Hislop and I. M. Sigal [Memoir. AMS 78, No. 399 (1989)], we introduce the concept of a leading tunnelling trajectory. It is then proven that leading tunnelling trajectories for single active electron models of molecular tunnelling ionization (i.e., theories where a molecular potential is modelled by a single-electron multi-centre potential) are linear in the case of short range interactions and "almost" linear in the case of long range interactions. The results are presented on both the formal and physically intuitive levels. Physical implications of the proven statements are discussed.