Abstract

We discuss, via a numerical calculation, the main properties of atomic photoelectron spectra, as they would be obtained by using a radiation pulse containing higher harmonics together with the laser which has been used to generate them. We address more precisely the physically relevant situation in which the harmonics have much weaker intensities than the one of the laser. In such multicolor photoionization processes, the atom can simultaneously absorb harmonic UV photons and exchange, i.e. absorb and/or emit (via stimulated emission) laser IR photons. An interesting outcome of our study is to show that such new effects should be observable with currently developed harmonic sources.

© 1997 Optical Society of America