Controlling the angular distribution of atomic photoelectrons in the region of laser-induced continuum structure in the femtosecond time domain

The influence of laser-induced continuum structure on the angular distribution of photoelectrons is studied in the femtosecond time domain by direct numerical solution of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation. Control of the photoelectron angular distribution is demonstrated for the hydrogen atom by coherent population transfer from the initial S-state to an excited D-state via the p-continuum and further ionization into the f-continuum states. A direct optimization procedure is used to find a domain of laser parameters, for which the efficiency of the control with respect to the time delay and energy detuning between the laser pulses is maximized.