Ionization by few-cycle pulses: Tracing the electron orbits

High-order above-threshold ionization by few-cycle laser pulses is analyzed in terms of quantum orbits. For a given carrier-envelope phase, the number of contributing orbits and their ionization and rescattering times determine the shape of the angle-resolved spectrum in all detail. Conversely, analysis of a given spectrum reveals the carrier-envelope phase and the various interfering pathways from which the electron could choose.