Carrier-Envelope-Phase Effects in Ultrafast Strong-Field Ionization Dynamics of Multielectron Systems: Xe and CS2

Carrier-envelope-phase- (CEP) stabilized 5 and 22 fs pulses of intense 800 nm light are used to probe the strong-field ionization dynamics of xenon and carbon disulfide. We compare ion yields obtained with and without CEP stabilization. With 8-cycle (22 fs) pulses, Xe6+ yields are suppressed (relative to Xe+) by 30%-50%, depending on phase, reflecting the phase dependence of nonsequential ionization and its contribution to the formation of higher charge states. Ion yields for Xeq+ (q = 2-4) with CEP-stabilized pulses are enhanced (by up to 50%) compared to those with CEP-unstabilized pulses. Such enhancement is particularly pronounced with 2-cycle (5 fs) pulses and is distinctly phase dependent. Orbital shape and symmetry affect how CS2 responds to variations in optical field that are effected as CEP is altered, keeping intensity constant. Molecular fragmentation is found to depend on field strength (not intensity); the relative enhancement of fragmentation when CEP-stabilized 2-cycle pulses are used is found to be at the expense of molecular ionization. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.083602