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Small phase-space structures and their relevance to pulsed quantum evolution: Stepwise ionization of the excited hydrogen atom in a microwave pulse

Journal Article · · Physical Review. A
 [1]
  1. Department of Physics, Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas 77004 (United States)

Experiments have shown that the microwave ionization probability of a highly excited, almost monodimensional, hydrogen atom subjected to a microwave pulse sometimes grows in steps when the peak electric field of the pulse is increased. Classical pulsed simulations display the same steps, which have been traced to phase-space metamorphoses. Quantum numerical calculations again exhibit the same ionization steps. I show that the time sequence of two-level interactions, responsible for the observed steps in the quantum picture, is strictly related to the classical phase-space structures generated by the above-mentioned metamorphoses.

OSTI ID:
21408441
Journal Information:
Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 81; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English