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Emergence of a Higher Energy Structure in Strong Field Ionization with Inhomogeneous Electric Fields
L Ortmann1, J A Pérez-Hernández2, M F Ciappina3,4
1Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Nöthnitzer Straße 38, D-01187 Dresden, Germany.
Physical Review Letters
|September 27, 2017
Summary
A novel higher energy peak (HES) in photoelectron spectra arises from spatial variations in laser fields near nanostructures. This HES offers a new method for characterizing laser fields and generating attosecond electron pulses.
Area of Science:
- Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
- Quantum Optics
- Nanophotonics
Background:
- Strong field ionization studies traditionally use approximations neglecting electron spatial forces.
- Coulomb potential inhomogeneity influences photoelectron spectra (e.g., Coulomb asymmetry, low energy structure).
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the effect of time-varying spatial dependence in laser electric fields on electron ionization.
- Demonstrate a new phenomenon—the higher energy structure (HES)—and its applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized mid-infrared laser wavelengths.
- Examined ionization dynamics near nanostructures with spatial field variations.
- Analyzed photoelectron spectra to identify the HES.
Main Results:
- Observed a prominent higher energy peak (HES) in photoelectron spectra due to spatial field inhomogeneity.
- Established that HES originates from electrons ionized near the peak of a single laser half-cycle.
- Demonstrated HES's sensitivity to spatial inhomogeneity and its potential for near-field characterization.
Conclusions:
- The HES serves as a sensitive probe for near-field characterization in the intermediate regime.
- The tunable energy accumulation in HES suggests a method for generating localized attosecond electron pulses with tabletop lasers.
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