Abstract

The excitation and ionization of bound electrons under strong (10¹² W/cm² and above) laser pulses is an inherently time-dependent process. Although under certain conditions a transition probability averaged over the pulse may be meaningful, in general events during the evolution of the pulse must be followed in detail because total decay (ionization) of various species (atoms and ions) is apt to occur. As a result, at different stages of the pulse, processes of different order may appear.

© 1986 Optical Society of America