Classical Theory of High Field Atomic Ionization Using Elliptical Polarization

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that elliptical polarization in laser fields reveals crucial details about atomic ionization events, such as ionization timing and field strength, which are hidden when using linear polarization.

Contribution

It introduces a method using elliptical polarization to access previously missing information in strong-field atomic and molecular ionization studies.

Findings

Elliptical polarization uncovers ionization timing details.

It reveals the field strength at ionization events.

The method applies to single, double, and triple ionization processes.

Abstract

Important information about strong-field atomic or molecular ionization can be missed when using linearly polarized laser fields. The field strength at which an electron was ionized, or the time during a pulse of the ionization event are examples of such missing information. In treating single, double, and triple ionization events we show that information of this kind is made readily available by use of elliptical polarization.