Exploring recollision of ultrafast electrons from photoelectron momentum distributions using single-cycle near-infrared laser pulses

The electron scattering process has been investigated by analyzing the interference structure in the photoelectron momentum distribution (PMD) of a hydrogen atom exposed to a single-cycle linearly polarized near-infrared laser field, based on the numerical solution of the full-dimensional time-dependent Schrodinger equation and the Coulomb correlative classical trajectory simulation. The interference pattern in the PMD is closely related to the form of the ultrashort pulse which is dominated by the carrier-envelope phase. A fish-bone-like pattern appears in the PMD using the sine electric field and a spider-like pattern appears using the cosine electric field. These interference structures reflect the scattering process. It is found that the stripe density of the spider-like pattern is mainly dominated by the recollision time of scattering electron trajectories, i.e., the longer the recollision time, the greater the stripe density. Therefore, the photoelectron interference pattern can be used to understand the ionization and scattering processes, and identify these processes on the attosecond time scale.

Automated summary

The electron scattering process in a hydrogen atom exposed to a near-infrared laser field was investigated by analyzing interference patterns in the photoelectron momentum distribution. The interference structures in the PMD reflect the scattering process, with the spider-like pattern stripe density being influenced by the recollision time of the scattering electron trajectories.