arXiv subjects

Karen Z. Hatsagortsyan

Publications and source records attributed to Karen Z. Hatsagortsyan.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Fields of an ultrashort tightly-focused laser pulse

Analytic expressions for the electromagnetic fields of an ultrashort, tightly focused, linearly polarized laser pulse in vacuum are derived from scalar and vector potentials, using a small parameter which assumes a small bandwidth of the laser pulse. The derived fields are compared with those of the Lax series expansion and the complex-source-point approaches and are shown to be well-behaved and accurate even in the subcycle pulse regime. We further demonstrate that terms stemming from the scalar potential and due to a fast varying pulse envelope are non-negligible and may significantly influence laser-matter interactions.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Momentum partition between constituents of exotic atoms during laser induced tunneling ionization

The tunneling ionization of exotic atoms such as muonic hydrogen, muonium and positronium in a strong laser field of circular polarization is investigated taking into account the impact of the motion of the center of mass on the the tunneling ionization dynamics. The momentum partition between the ionization products is deduced. The effect of the center of mass motion for the momentum distribution of the ionization components is determined. The effect scales with the ratio of the electron (muon) to the atomic core masses and is nonnegligible for exotic atoms, while being insignificant for common atoms. It is shown that the electron (muon) momentum shift during the under-the-barrier motion due to the magnetically induced Lorentz force has a significant impact on the momentum distribution of the atomic core and depends on the ratio of the electron to the atomic core masses.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2015

High-Energy Recollision Processes of Laser-Generated Electron-Positron Pairs

Two oppositely charged particles created within a microscopic space-time region can be separated, accelerated over a much larger distance, and brought to a recollision by a laser field. Consequently, new reactions become feasible, where the energy absorbed by the particles is efficiently released. By investigating the laser-dressed polarization operator, we identify a new contribution describing high-energy recollisions experienced by an electron-positron pair generated by pure light when a gamma photon impinges on an intense, linearly polarized laser pulse. The energy absorbed in the recollision process over the macroscopic laser wavelength corresponds to a large number of laser photons and can be exploited to prime high-energy reactions. Thus, the recollision contribution to the polarization operator differs qualitatively and quantitatively from the well-known one, describing the annihilation of an electron-positron pair within the microscopic formation region.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Polarization operator approach to pair creation in short laser pulses

Short-pulse effects are investigated for the nonlinear Breit-Wheeler process, i.e. the production of an electron-positron pair induced by a gamma photon inside an intense plane-wave laser pulse. To obtain the total pair-creation probability we verify (to leading-order) the cutting rule for the polarization operator in the realm of strong-field QED by an explicit calculation. Using a double-integral representation for the leading-order contribution to the polarization operator, compact expressions for the total pair-creation probability inside an arbitrary plane-wave background field are derived. Correspondingly, the photon wave function including leading-order radiative corrections in the laser field is obtained via the Schwinger-Dyson equation in the quasistatic approximation. Moreover, the influence of the carrier-envelope phase and of the laser pulse shape on the total pair-creation probability in a linearly polarized laser pulse is investigated, and the validity of the (local) constant-crossed field approximation analyzed. It is shown that with presently available technology pair-creation probabilities of the order of ten percent could be reached for a single gamma photon.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Attosecond pulses at kiloelectronvolt photon energies from high-order harmonic generation with core electrons

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) in simultaneous intense near-infrared (NIR) laser light and brilliant x rays above an inner-shell absorption edge is examined. A tightly bound inner-shell electron is transferred into the continuum. Then, NIR light takes over and drives the liberated electron through the continuum until it eventually returns to the cation leading in some cases to recombination and emission of a high-order harmonic (HH) photon that is upshifted by the x-ray photon energy. We develop a theory of this scenario and apply it to $1s$ electrons of neon atoms. The boosted HH light is used to generate a single attosecond pulse in the kiloelectronvolt regime. Prospects for nonlinear x-ray physics and HHG-based spectroscopy involving core orbitals are discussed.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2014

Laser-driven relativistic tunneling from p-states

The tunneling ionization of an electron from a p-state in a highly charged ion in the relativistic regime is investigated in a linearly polarized strong laser field. In contrast to the case of an s-state, the tunneling ionization from the p-state is spin asymmetric. We have singled out two reasons for the spin asymmetry: first, the difference of the electron energy Zeeman splitting in the bound state and during tunneling, and second, the relativistic momentum shift along the laser propagation direction during the under-the barrier motion. Due to the latter, those states are predominantly ionized where the electron rotation is opposite to the electron relativistic shift during the under-the-barrier motion. We have investigated the dependence of the ionization rate on the laser intensity for different projections of the total angular momentum and identified the intensity parameter which governs this behaviour. The significant change of the ionization rate is originated from the different precession dynamics of the total angular momentum in the bound state at high and low intensities.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2014

Robust signatures of quantum radiation reaction in focused ultrashort laser pulses

Radiation reaction effects in the interaction of an electron bunch with a superstrong focused ultrashort laser pulse are investigated in the quantum radiation dominated regime. The angle-resolved Compton scattering spectra are calculated in laser pulses of variable duration using a semi-classical description for the radiation dominated dynamics and a full quantum treatment for the emitted radiation. In dependence of the laser pulse duration we find signatures of quantum radiation reaction in the radiation spectra, which are characteristic for the focused laser beam and visible in the qualitative behaviour of both the angular spread and the spectral bandwidth of the radiation spectra. The signatures are robust with respect to the variation of the electron and laser beam parameters in a large range. They fully differ qualitatively from those in the classical radiation reaction regime and are measurable with presently available laser technology.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2014

Relativistic features and time delay of laser-induced tunnel-ionization

The electron dynamics in the classically forbidden region during relativistic tunnel-ionization is investigated. The classical forbidden region in the relativistic regime is identified by defining a gauge invariant total energy operator. Introducing position dependent energy levels inside the tunneling barrier, we demonstrate that the relativistic tunnel-ionization can be well described by a one-dimensional intuitive picture. This picture predicts that, in contrast to the well-known nonrelativistic regime, the ionized electron wave packet arises with a momentum shift along the laser's propagation direction. This is compatible with results from a strong field approximation calculation where the binding potential is assumed to be zero-ranged. Further, the tunneling time delay, stemming from Wigner's definition, is investigated for model configurations of tunneling and compared with results obtained from the exact propagator. By adapting Wigner's time delay definition to the ionization process, the tunneling time is investigated in the deep-tunneling and in the near-threshold-tunneling regimes. It is shown that while in the deep-tunneling regime signatures of the tunneling time delay are not measurable at remote distance, it is detectable, however, in the latter regime.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2014

The Wigner time delay for laser induced tunnel-ionization via the electron propagator

Recent attoclock experiments using the attsecond angular streaking technique enabled the measurement of the tunneling time delay during laser induced strong field ionization. Theoretically the tunneling time delay is commonly modelled by the Wigner time delay concept which is derived from the derivative of the electron wave function phase with respect to energy. Here, we present an alternative method for the calculation of the Wigner time delay by using the fixed energy propagator. The developed formalism is applied to the nonrelativistic as well as to the relativistic regime of the tunnel-ionization process from a zero-range potential, where in the latter regime the propagator can be given by means of the proper-time method.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2014

Novel aspects of radiation reaction in the classical and the quantum regime

This work is dedicated to the study of radiation reaction signatures in the framework of classical and quantum electrodynamics. Since there has been no distinct experimental validation of radiation reaction and its underlying equations so far and its impact is expected to be substantial for the construction of new experimental devices, e.g., quantum x-free electron lasers, a profound understanding of radiation reaction effects is of special interest. Here, we describe how the inclusion of quantum radiation reaction effects changes the dynamics of ultra-relativistic electron beams colliding with intense laser pulses significantly. Thereafter, the angular distribution of emitted radiation is demonstrated to be strongly altered in the quantum framework, if in addition to single photon emission also higher order photon emissions are considered. Furthermore, stimulated Raman scattering of an ultra-intense laser pulse in plasmas is examined and forward Raman scattering is found to be significantly increased by the inclusion of radiation reaction effects in the classical regime. The numerical simulations in this work show the feasibility of an experimental verification of the predicted effects with presently available lasers and electron accelerators.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

The propagator of a relativistic particle via the path-dependent vector potential

The proper time formalism for a particle propagator in an external electromagnetic field is combined with the path-dependent formulation of the gauge theory to simplify the quasiclassical propagator. The latter is achieved due to a specific choice of the gauge corresponding to the use of the classical path in the path-dependent formulation of the gauge theory, which leads to the cancellation of the interaction part of the action in the Feynman path integral. A simple expression for the quasiclassical propagator is obtained in all cases of the external field when the classical equation of motion in this field is integrable. As an example, new simple expressions for the propagators are derived for a spinless charged particle interacting with the following fields: an arbitrary constant and uniform electromagnetic field, an arbitrary plane wave and, finally, an arbitrary plane wave combined with an arbitrary constant and uniform electromagnetic field. In all these cases the quasiclassical propagator coincides with the exact result.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

On the quantization of the nonintegrable phase in electrodynamics

Using the fact that the nonintegrable phase factor can reformulate the gauge theory in terms of path dependent vector potentials, the quantization condition for the nonintegrable phase is investigated. It is shown that the path-dependent formalism can provide compact description of the flux quantization and the charge quantization at the existence of a magnetic monopole. Moreover, the path-dependent formalism gives suggestions for searching of the quantized flux in different configurations and for other possible reasons of the charge quantization. As an example, the developed formalism is employed for a (1+1) dimensional world, showing the relationship between the fundamental unit of the charge and the fine structure constant for this world.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Radiation reaction force induced nonlinear mixing of Raman sidebands of an ultra-intense laser pulse in a plasma

Stimulated Raman scattering of an ultra-intense laser pulse in plasmas is studied by perturbatively including the leading order term of the Landau-Lifshitz radiation reaction force in the equation of motion for plasma electrons. In this approximation, radiation reaction force causes phase shift in nonlinear current densities that drive the two Raman sidebands (anti-Stokes and Stokes waves), manifesting itself into the nonlinear mixing of two sidebands. This mixing results in a strong enhancement in the growth of the forward Raman scattering instability.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2013

Computational relativistic quantum dynamics and its application to relativistic tunneling and Kapitza-Dirac scattering

Computational methods are indispensable to study the quantum dynamics of relativistic light-matter interactions in parameter regimes where analytical methods become inapplicable. We present numerical methods for solving the time-dependent Dirac equation and the time-dependent Klein-Gordon equation and their implementation on high performance graphics cards. These methods allow us to study tunneling from hydrogen-like highly charged ions in strong laser fields and Kapitza-Dirac scattering in the relativistic regime.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Spin effects in relativistic ionization with highly charged ions in super-strong laser fields

Spin effects in above-threshold ionization of hydrogenlike highly charged ions in super-strong laser fields are investigated. Spin-resolved ionization rates in the tunneling regime are calculated by employing two versions of a relativistic Coulomb-corrected strong-field approximation (SFA). An intuitive simple-man model is developed which explains the derived scaling laws for spin-flip and spin-asymmetry effects. The intuitive model as well as our ab initio numerical simulations support the analytical results for the spin effects obtained in the dressed SFA where the impact of the laser field on the electron spin evolution in the bound state is taken into account. In contrast, the standard SFA is shown to fail in reproducing spin effects at ionization even at a qualitative level. The anticipated spin-effects are expected to be measurable with modern laser techniques combined with an ion storage facility.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2013

Under-the-barrier dynamics in laser-induced relativistic tunneling

The tunneling dynamics in relativistic strong-field ionization is investigated with the aim to develop an intuitive picture for the relativistic tunneling regime. We demonstrate that the tunneling picture applies also in the relativistic regime by introducing position dependent energy levels. The quantum dynamics in the classically forbidden region features two time scales, the typical time that characterizes the probability density's decay of the ionizing electron under the barrier (Keldysh time) and the time interval which the electron spends inside the barrier (Eisenbud-Wigner-Smith tunneling time). In the relativistic regime, an electron momentum shift as well as a spatial shift along the laser propagation direction arise during the under-the-barrier motion which are caused by the laser magnetic field induced Lorentz force. The momentum shift is proportional to the Keldysh time, while the wave-packet's spatial drift is proportional to the Eisenbud-Wigner-Smith time. The signature of the momentum shift is shown to be present in the ionization spectrum at the detector and, therefore, observable experimentally. In contrast, the signature of the Eisenbud-Wigner-Smith time delay disappears at far distances for pure quasistatic tunneling dynamics.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2013

Above-threshold ionization with highly-charged ions in super-strong laser fields: I. Coulomb-corrected strong field approximation

Aiming at the investigation of above-threshold ionization in super-strong laser fields with highly charged ions, we develop a Coulomb-corrected strong field approximation (SFA). The influence of the Coulomb potential of the atomic core on the ionized electron dynamics in the continuum is taken into account via the eikonal approximation, treating the Coulomb potential perturbatively in the phase of the quasi-classical wave function of the continuum electron. In this paper the formalism of the Coulomb-corrected SFA for the nonrelativistic regime is discussed employing velocity and length gauge. Direct ionization of a hydrogen-like system in a strong linearly polarized laser field is considered. The relation of the results in the different gauges to the Perelomov-Popov-Terent'ev imaginary-time method is discussed.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2013

Above-threshold ionization with highly-charged ions in super-strong laser fields: II. Relativistic Coulomb-corrected strong field approximation

We develop a relativistic Coulomb-corrected strong field approximation (SFA) for the investigation of spin effects at above-threshold ionization in relativistically strong laser fields with highly charged hydrogen-like ions. The Coulomb-corrected SFA is based on the relativistic eikonal-Volkov wave function describing the ionized electron laser-driven continuum dynamics disturbed by the Coulomb field of the ionic core. The SFA in different partitions of the total Hamiltonian is considered. The formalism is applied for direct ionization of a hydrogen-like system in a strong linearly polarized laser field. The differential and total ionization rates are calculated analytically. The relativistic analogue of the Perelomov-Popov-Terent'ev ionization rate is retrieved within the SFA technique. The physical relevance of the SFA in different partitions is discussed.

physics.atom-ph↗