Electron dynamics in strong laser fields
Cristel Chandre (Institut de Mathématiques de Marseille)
The advent of powerful and short laser pulses heralded a new era in atomic and molecular physics about three decades ago. Irradiating targets such as atoms, molecules, or biological complexes with such intense laser pulses has become the tool of choice for resolving the
structure of matter at unprecedented spatial and temporal scales.
About twenty years ago, the theoretical framework for such processes for linearly polarized laser fields was established and remains the state-of-the-art in strong field physics. It centers on the recollision model: Electrons are first detached and absorb energy while following the laser only to be hurled back at the ionic core when the laser reverses direction where they can ionize more electrons or generate very high harmonics of the driving laser by high harmonic generation.
I will review this recollision scenario in the light brought by nonlinear dynamics and show how this scenario can be extended to other-than-linear polarizations.