Two-color attosecond chronoscope

We study ionization of atoms in strong orthogonal two-color (OTC) laser fields numerically and analytically. The calculated photoelectron momentum distribution shows two typical structures: a rectangular-like one and a shoulder-like one, the positions of which depend on the laser parameters. Using a strong-field model which allows us to quantitatively evaluate the Coulomb effect, we show that these two structures arise from attosecond response of electron inside an atom to light in OTC-induced photoemission. Some simple mappings between the locations of these structures and response time are derived. Through these mappings, we are able to establish a two-color attosecond chronoscope for timing electron emission, which is essential for OTC-based precise manipulation.

Automated summary

We study the ionization of atoms in strong orthogonal two-color (OTC) laser fields both numerically and analytically. Our calculations show that the photoelectron momentum distribution exhibits two distinct structures, which depend on the laser parameters. By analyzing the Coulomb effect with a strong-field model, we demonstrate that these structures arise from the attosecond response of electrons inside atoms to OTC-induced photoemission. We derive simple mappings between the positions of these structures and the response time, enabling the establishment of a two-color attosecond chronoscope for precise electron emission timing in OTC-based manipulation.