Momentum mapping of continuum electron wave packet interference

TL;DR

This paper investigates electron wave packet interference in argon atoms ionized by mid-infrared lasers, revealing how different ionization regimes affect observable interference patterns and providing insights into ultrafast electron dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces a generalized quantum trajectory Monte Carlo method to analyze interference patterns, highlighting the role of rescattered trajectories across different tunneling regimes.

Findings

Deep tunneling regime suppresses rescattered electron contributions.

Ring-like interference patterns mask holographic structures at low momenta.

Nonadiabatic tunneling enhances rescattered trajectories, revealing holographic interference.

Abstract

We analyze the two-dimensional photoelectrons momentum distribution of Ar atom ionized by midinfrared laser pulses and mainly concentrate on the energy range below 2Up. By using a generalized quantum trajectory Monte Carlo (GQTMC) simulation and comparing with the numerical solution of time-dependent Schrodinger equation (TDSE), we show that in the deep tunneling regime, the rescattered electron trajectories plays unimportant role and the interplay between the intracycle and inter-cycle results in a ring-like interference pattern. The ring-like interference pattern will mask the holographic interference structure in the low longitudinal momentum region. When the nonadiabatic tunneling contributes significantly to ionization, i.e., the Keldysh parameter 1, the contribution of the rescattered electron trajectories become large, thus holographic interference pattern can be clearly observed. Our results help paving the way for gaining physical insight into ultrafast electron dynamic process with attosecond temporal resolution.