Strong-Field Photoionization as Excited-State Tunneling

We show that, in an intense laser field, ultrafast photoionization can occur through quantum pathways that cannot be categorized as multiphoton ionization or ground-state tunneling. In this regime, the subcycle electron-wave-packet dynamics leading to photoionization occurs via electron excited states, from where the electrons tunnel to the continuum within a tiny fraction of the field cycle. For high field intensities, this ionization pathway is shown to drastically enhance the dynamic leakage of the electron wave packet into the continuum, opening an ionization channel that dominates over ground-state electron tunneling.