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Alejandro Saenz

Publications and source records attributed to Alejandro Saenz.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
arXiv2009

Alignment-Dependent Ionization of Molecular Hydrogen in Intense Laser Fields

The alignment dependence of the ionization behavior of H$_2$ exposed to intense ultrashort laser pulses is investigated on the basis of solutions of the full time-dependent Schrödinger equation within the fixed-nuclei and dipole approximation. The total ionization yields as well as the energy-resolved electron spectra have been calculated for a parallel and a perpendicular orientation of the molecular axis with respect to the polarization axis of linear polarized laser pulses. For most, but not all considered laser peak intensities the parallel aligned molecules are easier to ionize. Furthermore, it is shown that the velocity formulation of the strong-field approximation predicts a simple interference pattern for the ratio of the energy-resolved electron spectra obtained for the two orientations, but this is not confirmed by the full ab initio results.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2009

Ionization of molecular hydrogen and deuterium by a frequency-doubled Ti:sapphire laser pulses

A theoretical study of the intense-field single ionization of molecular hydrogen or deuterium oriented either parallel or perpendicular to a linear polarized laser pulse (400 nm) is performed for different internuclear separations and pulse lengths in an intensity range of $(2-13)\times10^{13} $W cm$^{-2}$. The investigation is based on a non-perturbative treatment that solves the full time-dependent Schrödinger equation of both correlated electrons within the fixed-nuclei and the dipole approximation. The results for various internuclear separations are used to obtain the ionization yields of molecular hydrogen and deuterium in their ground vibrational states. An atomic model is used to identify the influence of the intrinsic diatomic two-center character of the problem.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2009

Three-body bound states in a lattice

We pursue three-body bound states in a one-dimensional tight-binding lattice described by the Bose-Hubbard model with strong on-site interaction. Apart from the simple strongly-bound "trimer" state corresponding to all three particles occupying the same lattice site, we find two novel kinds of weakly-bound trimers with energies below and above the continuum of scattering states of a single particle ("monomer") and a bound particle pair ("dimer"). The corresponding binding mechanism can be inferred from an effective Hamiltonian in the strong-coupling regime which contains an exchange interaction between the monomer and dimer. In the limit of very strong on-site interaction, the exchange-bound trimers attain a universal value of the binding energy. These phenomena can be observed with cold atoms in optical lattices.

cond-mat.other↗
arXiv2009

Collisions of antiprotons with hydrogen molecular ions

Time-dependent close-coupling calculations of the ionization and excitation cross section for antiproton collisions with molecular hydrogen ions are performed in an impact-energy range from 0.5 keV to 10 MeV. The Born-Oppenheimer and Franck-Condon approximations as well as the impact parameter method are applied in order to describe the target molecule and the collision process. It is shown that three perpendicular orientations of the molecular axis with respect to the trajectory are sufficient to accurately reproduce the ionization cross section calculated by [Sakimoto, Phys. Rev. A 71, 062704 (2005)] reducing the numerical effort drastically. The independent-event model is employed to approximate the cross section for double ionization and H+ production in antiproton collisions with H2.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2009

Exact theoretical description of two ultracold atoms in a single site of a 3D optical lattice using realistic interatomic interaction potentials

A theoretical approach was developed for an exact numerical description of a pair of ultracold atoms interacting via a central potential that are trapped in a three-dimensional optical lattice. The coupling of center-of-mass and relative-motion coordinates is explicitly considered using a configuration-interaction (exact-diagonalization) technique. Deviations from the harmonic approximation are discussed for several heteronuclear alkali-metal atom pairs trapped in a single site of an optical lattice. The consequences are discussed for the analysis of a recent experiment [C. Ospelkaus et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 120402 (2006)] in which radio-frequency association was used to create diatomic molecules from a fermionic and a bosonic atom and to measure their binding energies close to a magnetic Feshbach resonance.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2009

Ab-initio determination of Bose-Hubbard parameters for two ultracold atoms in an optical lattice using a three-well potential

We calculate numerically the exact energy spectrum of the six dimensional problem of two interacting Bosons in a three-well optical lattice. The particles interact via a full Born-Oppenheimer potential which can be adapted to model the behavior of the s-wave scattering length at Feshbach resonances. By adjusting the parameters of the corresponding Bose-Hubbard (BH) Hamiltonian the deviation between the numerical energy spectrum and the BH spectrum is minimized. This defines the optimal BH parameter set which we compare to the standard parameters of the BH model. The range of validity of the BH model with these parameter sets is examined, and an improved analytical prediction of the interaction parameter is introduced. Furthermore, an extended BH model and implications due to the energy dependence of the scattering length and couplings to higher Bloch bands at a Feshbach resonance are discussed.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2009

Photodissociation of the {HeH$^+$} molecular ion

The photodissociation cross section of the molecular ion HeH$^+$ was calculated within the Born-Oppenheimer approximation for a parallel, a perpendicular, and an isotropic orientation of the molecular axis with respect to the field, considering also different initial vibrational and rotational states. The results were compared to recent data from a free-electron laser experiment performed at the FLASH facility [H.B. Pedersen {\it et al.}, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 223202, (2007)]. Within the experimental uncertainties theoretical and experimental results are compatible with each other.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2009

Stopping power of antiprotons in H, H2, and He targets

The stopping power of antiprotons in atomic and molecular hydrogen as well as helium was calculated in an impact-energy range from 1 keV to 6.4 MeV. In the case of H2 and He the targets were described with a single-active electron model centered on the target. The collision process was treated with the close-coupling formulation of the impact-parameter method. An extensive comparison of the present results with theoretical and experimental literature data was performed in order to evaluate which of the partly disagreeing theoretical and experimental data are most reliable. Furthermore, the size of the corrections to the first-order stopping number, the average energy transferred to the target electrons, and the relative importance of the excitation and the ionization process for the energy loss of the projectile was determined. Finally, the stopping power of the H, H2, and He targets were directly compared revealing specific similarities and differences of the three targets.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2008

Interaction of antiprotons with Rb atoms and a comparison of antiproton stopping powers of the atoms H, Li, Na, K, and Rb

Ionization and excitation cross sections as well as electron-energy spectra and stopping powers of the alkali metal atoms Li, Na, K, and Rb colliding with antiprotons were calculated using a time-dependent channel-coupling approach. An impact-energy range from 0.25 keV to 4000 keV was considered. The target atoms are treated as effective one-electron systems using a model potential. The results are compared with calculated cross sections for antiproton-hydrogen atom collisions.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2008

A simple parameter-free one-center model potential for an effective one-electron description of molecular hydrogen

For the description of an H2 molecule an effective one-electron model potential is proposed which is fully determined by the exact ionization potential of the H2 molecule. In order to test the model potential and examine its properties it is employed to determine excitation energies, transition moments, and oscillator strengths in a range of the internuclear distances, 0.8 < R < 2.5 a.u. In addition, it is used as a description of an H2 target in calculations of the cross sections for photoionization and for partial excitation in collisions with singly-charged ions. The comparison of the results obtained with the model potential with literature data for H2 molecules yields a good agreement and encourages therefore an extended usage of the potential in various other applications or in order to consider the importance of two-electron and anisotropy effects.

physics.chem-ph↗
arXiv2008

Generalized gauge-invariant formulations of the strong-field approximation

The gauge problem in the so-called strong-field approximation (SFA) describing atomic or molecular systems exposed to intense laser fields is investigated. Introducing a generalized gauge and partitioning of the Hamiltonian it is demonstrated that the S-matrix expansion obtained in the SFA depends on both gauge and partitioning in such a way that two gauges always yield the same S-matrix expansion, if the partitioning is properly chosen.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2008

Antiproton collisions with molecular hydrogen

Theoretical antiproton and proton cross sections for ionization and excitation of hydrogen molecules as well as energy spectra of the ionized electrons were calculated in the impact-energy range from 8 to 4000 keV. The cross sections were computed with the close-coupling formulation of the semi-classical impact-parameter method. The target was described using a one-active electron model centered on the target and assuming a fixed internuclear distance during the collision process. The dependence of the ionization cross sections on the internuclear distance is examined. The present cross sections are compared with experimental and theoretical data from the literature. For impact energies E > 90 keV the obtained results for ionization by antiproton impact are comparable to the experimental data while they disagree for energies E < 80 keV.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2008

Ionisation of hydrogen molecule in intense ultrashort laser pulses: parallel versus perpendicular orientation

A theoretical comparison of the electronic excitation and ionisation behaviour of molecular hydrogen oriented either parallel or perpendicular to a linear polarised laser pulse is performed. The investigation is based on a non-perturbative treatment that solves the full time-dependent Schrödinger equation of both correlated electrons within the fixed-nuclei approximation and the dipole. Results are shown for two different laser pulse lengths and intensities as well as for a large variety of photon frequencies starting in the 1- and reaching into the 6-photon regime. In order to investigate the influence of the intrinsic diatomic two-center problem even further, two values of the internuclear separation and a newly developed atomic model are considered.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2008

Antiproton and proton collisions with the alkali metal atoms Li, Na, and K

Single-electron ionization and excitation cross sections as well as cross sections for excitation into the first excited p state of the alkali metal atoms Li(2s), Na(3s) and K(4s) colliding with antiprotons and protons were calculated using a time-dependent channel-coupling approach. For antiprotons an impact-energy range from 0.25 to 1000 keV and for protons from 2 to 1000 keV was considered. The target atoms are treated as effective one-electron systems using a model potential. The results are compared with theoretical and experimental data from literature and calculated cross sections for antiproton-hydrogen collisions. For proton collisions a good overall agreement is found which confirms the present numerical approach, whereas discrepancies are found between the present antiproton cross sections and those calculated by Stary et al., J.Phys.B 23, 263 (1990).

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2007

Exact Keldysh theory of strong-field ionization: residue method vs saddle-point approximation

In recent articles [Mishima et al., Phys. Rev. A, 66, 033401(2002); Chao, Phys. Rev. A, 72, 053414 (2005)] it was proposed to use the residue theorem for the exact calculation of the transition amplitude describing strong-field ionization of atomic systems within Keldysh theory. This should avoid the necessity to apply the method of steepest descent (saddle-point approximation). Comparing the results of both approaches for atomic hydrogen a difference by a factor of 2 was found for the 1s, and an even more drastic deviation for the 2s state. Thus it was concluded that the use of the saddle-point approximation is problematic. In this work the deviations are explained and it is shown that the previous conclusion is based on an unjustified neglect of an important contribution occurring in the application of the residue theorem. Furthermore, the applicability of the method of steepest descent for the ionization of Rydberg states is discussed and an improvement of the standard result is suggested that successfully removes the otherwise drastic failure for large principal quantum numbers.

physics.atom-ph↗
arXiv2006

Influence of a tight isotropic harmonic trap on photoassociation in ultracold homonuclear alkali gases

The influence of a tight isotropic harmonic trap on photoassociation of two ultracold alkali atoms forming a homonuclear diatomic is investigated using realistic atomic interaction potentials. Confinement of the initial atom pair due to the trap leads to a uniform strong enhancement of the photoassociation rate to most, but also to a strongly suppressed rate for some final states. Thus tighter traps do not necessarily enhance the photoassociation rate. A further massive enhancement of the rate is found for strong interatomic interaction potentials. The details of this interaction play a minor role, except for large repulsive interactions for which a sharp window occurs in the photoassociation spectrum as is known from the trap-free case. A comparison with simplified models describing the atomic interaction like the pseudopotential approximation shows that they often provide reasonable estimates for the trap-induced enhancement of the photoassociation rate even if the predicted rates can be completely erroneous.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2004

Tests of Lorentz invariance using hydrogen molecules

We discuss the consequences of Lorentz violation (as expressed within the Lorentz-violating extension of the standard model) for the hydrogen molecule, which represents a generic model of a molecular binding. Lorentz-violating shifts of electronic, vibrational and rotational energy levels, and of the internuclear distance are calculated. This offers the possibility of obtaining improved bounds on Lorentz invariance by experiments using molecules.

hep-ph↗