Nonsequential Double Ionization by Counterrotating Circularly Polarized Two-Color Laser Fields

Phys Rev Lett. 2016 Sep 23;117(13):133202. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.133202. Epub 2016 Sep 20.

Abstract

We report on nonsequential double ionization of Ar by a laser pulse consisting of two counterrotating circularly polarized fields (390 and 780 nm). The double-ionization probability depends strongly on the relative intensity of the two fields and shows a kneelike structure as a function of intensity. We conclude that double ionization is driven by a beam of nearly monoenergetic recolliding electrons, which can be controlled in intensity and energy by the field parameters. The electron momentum distributions show the recolliding electron as well as a second electron which escapes from an intermediate excited state of Ar^{+}.