Barrier-Suppression Ionization of Complex Atoms and Diatomic Molecules

Abstract

A theory of tunneling ionization of atoms and atomic ions by a strong low frequency electromagnetic field was developed in detailed by Perelomov et al ¹ and later by Ammosov et al ². This approach is based on the concept of a quasi-stationary external field producing tunneling ejection of valence electrons. A complex atom or an atomic ion is considered in the framework of the quantum defect method, and its wave function is an asymptotic wave function of an atomic electron at large distances from the atomic core. The angular and energy distributions of ejected electrons in tunneling ionization were obtained with exponential accuracy for linear and circular polarization of the electromagnetic field by Corkum et al³ and by Delone and Krainov ⁴.