Atoms ionized by assisted attopulses behaving as diatomic molecules

TL;DR

This paper presents a theoretical model for single ionization of noble gas atoms by combined XUV attopulses and infrared lasers, interpreting angular distributions as two-center interferences similar to diatomic molecules.

Contribution

It introduces a non-perturbative model that provides closed-form expressions for photoelectron angular distributions, linking them to laser-controlled two-center interferences.

Findings

Model agrees well with experimental data.

Identifies conditions for destructive interference zeros.

Interprets ionized atoms as diatomic molecules.

Abstract

The single ionization of noble gas atoms by the combined action of XUV attopulses and an infrared laser field is theoretically investigated by means of a non-perturbative model that under certain approximations gives closed-form expressions for the angular distributions of photoelectrons. Interestingly, our model allow us to interpret the angular distributions as two-center interferences where the separation between the centers is governed by the infrared laser field. Angular distributions are compared to the available experimental data showing a good agreement. Finally, we deduce the conditions to obtain zeros in the angular distributions coming from destructive two-center interferences.