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Title: Semiclassical complex-time method for tunneling ionization: Molecular suppression and orientational dependence

Journal Article · · Physical Review. A
;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0111 (United States)

We apply a previously developed semiclassical complex time method to the calculation of tunneling ionization of several diatomic molecules and CO{sub 2}. We investigate the presence or absence of the molecular suppression effect by calculating ionization rates of N{sub 2} versus Ar, O{sub 2} versus Xe, F{sub 2} versus Ar, and CO versus Kr. Comparisons with other theories, including the molecular-orbital-Ammosov-Delone-Krainov (MO-ADK) model and the strong-field approximation, are given. We also analyze the dependence of the ionization rate on the angle {theta}{sub F} between the molecular axis and the field direction. The theoretical results agree quite well with experiment for N{sub 2} and O{sub 2} but give too low a value of the peak angle {theta}{sub F} for CO{sub 2}. Our calculations give small values of the ionization rates for O{sub 2} and CO{sub 2} at {theta}{sub F}=0 and 90 deg., in agreement with experiment. Other calculations, including the MO-ADK model and methods involving a numerical integration of the time-dependent Schroedinger equation, exhibit substantially weaker suppression at these angles.

OSTI ID:
21408451
Journal Information:
Physical Review. A, Vol. 81, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.81.033417; (c) 2010 The American Physical Society; ISSN 1050-2947
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English