Coherent intense resonant laser pulses lead to interference in the time domain observable in the spectrum of the emitted particles

Abstract

The dynamics of atomic levels resonantly coupled by a coherent and intense short high-frequency laser pulse is discussed and it is advocated that this dynamics is sensitively probed by measuring the spectra of the particles emitted. It is demonstrated that the time-envelope of this laser pulse gives rise to two waves emitted with a time delay with respect to each other at the rising and falling sides of the pulse, which interfere in the time domain. By computing numerically and analyzing explicitly analytically a show-case example of sequential two-photon ionization of an atom by resonant laser pulses, we argue that this dynamic interference should be a general phenomenon in the spectroscopy of strong laser fields. The emitted particles do not have to be photoelectrons. Our results allow also to interpret the already studied resonant Auger effect of an atom by intense free electron laser pulses, and also to envisage experiments in which photons are emitted.