Effect of Stark shift on low-energy interference structure in strong-field ionization

TL;DR

This study uses an advanced quantum Monte Carlo method to analyze how Stark shift, Coulomb potential, and multielectron effects influence low-energy interference patterns in xenon atoms under intense laser fields, revealing new interference structures.

Contribution

It introduces an improved quantum trajectory Monte Carlo approach that accounts for multiple effects to better understand low-energy interference in strong-field ionization.

Findings

Identification of a ring-like interference structure in low-energy photoelectron spectra.

Attribution of this structure to Coulomb potential and Stark shift effects.

Enhanced understanding of electron dynamics imaging in atoms and molecules.

Abstract

An improved quantum trajectory Monte Carlo method involving the Stark shift of the initial state, Coulomb potential, and multielectron polarization-induced dipole potential is used to revisit the origin of the low-energy interference structure in the photoelectron momentum distribution of the xenon atom subjected to an intense laser field, and resolve the different contributions of these three effects. In addition to the well-studied radial finger-like interference structure, a ring-like interference structure induced by interference among electron wave packets emitted from multi-cycle time windows of the laser field is found in the low energy part of the photoelectron momentum spectrum. It is attributed to the combined effect of the Coulomb potential and Stark shift. Our finding provides new insight into the imaging of electron dynamics of atoms and molecules with intense laser fields.