Recollision scenario without tunneling: role of the ionic core potential.

We present a purely classical recollision scenario, i.e., without tunneling, which, in contrast to the standard three-step model, takes into account the ionic core potential fully at all stages of the recollision process and is valid at all intensities. We find that a key periodic orbit drives the recollisions by guiding electrons away and back to the core. At sufficiently high intensity, we connect our scenario to the three-step model, and explain why the three-step model leads to good agreement with the cutoff in high harmonic generation despite neglecting the core potential after tunneling.

How key periodic orbits drive recollisions in a circularly polarized laser field.

We show that a family of key periodic orbits drives the recollision process in a strong circularly polarized laser field. These orbits, coined recolliding periodic orbits, exist for a wide range of parameters, and their relative influence changes as the laser and atomic parameters are varied. We find the necessary conditions for recollision-driven nonsequential double ionization to occur. The outlined mechanism is universal in that it applies equally well beyond atoms: The internal structure of the target species plays a minor role in the recollision process.

Delayed double ionization as a signature of Hamiltonian chaos.

We analyze the dynamical processes behind delayed double ionization of atoms subjected to strong laser pulses. Using reduced models, we show that these processes are a signature of Hamiltonian chaos which results from the competition between the laser field and the Coulomb attraction to the nucleus. In particular, we exhibit the paramount role of the unstable manifold of selected periodic orbits which lead to a delay in these double ionizations. Among delayed double ionizations, we consider the case of recollision excitation with subsequent ionization (RESI) and, as a hallmark of this mechanism, we predict oscillations in the ratio of RESI to double ionization yields versus laser intensity. We discuss the significance of the dimensionality of the reduced models for the analysis of the dynamical processes behind delayed double ionization.

Annular billiard dynamics in a circularly polarized strong laser field.

We analyze the dynamics of a valence electron of the buckminsterfullerene molecule (C60) subjected to a circularly polarized laser field by modeling it with the motion of a classical particle in an annular billiard. We show that the phase space of the billiard model gives rise to three distinct trajectories: "whispering gallery orbits," which hit only the outer billiard wall; "daisy orbits," which hit both billiard walls (while rotating solely clockwise or counterclockwise for all time); and orbits that only visit the downfield part of the billiard, as measured relative to the laser term. These trajectories, in general, maintain their distinct features, even as the intensity is increased from 10(10) to 10(14) Wcm-2. We attribute this robust separation of phase space to the existence of twistless tori.

Mechanism of delayed double ionization in a strong laser field.

When intense laser pulses release electrons nonsequentially, the time delay between the last recollision and the subsequent ionization may last longer than what is expected from a direct impact scenario [recollision excitation with subsequent ionization (RESI)]. We show that the resulting delayed ionization stems from the inner electron being promoted to a sticky region. We identify the mechanism that traps and releases the electron from this region. As a signature of this mechanism, we predict oscillations in the ratio of RESI to double ionization yields versus laser intensity.

Controlling double ionization of atoms in an intense bichromatic laser pulse.

We consider the classical dynamics of a two-electron system subjected to an intense bichromatic linearly polarized laser pulse. By varying the parameters of the field, such as the phase lag and the relative amplitude between the two colors of the field, we observe several trends from the statistical analysis of a large ensemble of trajectories initially in the ground-state energy of the helium atom: high sensitivity of the sequential double-ionization component, low sensitivity of the intensities where nonsequential double ionization occurs, while the corresponding yields can vary drastically. All these trends hold irrespective of which parameter is varied: the phase lag or the relative amplitude. We rationalize these observations by an analysis of the phase-space structures that drive the dynamics of this system and determine the extent of double ionization. These trends turn out to be mainly regulated by the dynamics of the inner electron.