https://doi.org/10.1007/s100530050158
Ionization of Rydberg atoms in THz-laser fields at the transition from low to high scaled frequencies
Freie Universität Berlin,
Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie,
Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Received:
17
February
1998
Revised:
20
April
1998
Accepted:
21
April
1998
Published online: 15 August 1998
We have studied the ionization of Rydberg-excited xenon atoms in
THz-laser fields and by quantum dynamical calculations. The
experimental threshold laser field strength for 10% ionization
probability follows an 
(
1.04 THz)
dependence (n* effective principal quantum number) with additional
weak resonance structures and shows that ionization does not occur by
a Landau-Zener mechanism. At scaled frequencies of 
to
5.6 the simulated threshold fields for ionization in oscillatory
fields show a dependence on the principal quantum number n of
n-4.1 to n-1.35.
PACS: 32.80.Rm – Multiphoton ionization and excitation to highly excited states (e.g., Rydberg states) / 42.50.H – Strong-field excitation of optical transitions in quantum system; multiphoton processes; dynamic Stark shift
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 1998
