Strong Field Laser Ionization of Model Atoms

Abstract

Recent experiments on the ionization of atoms under strong field lasers has renewed interest in the theoretical modeling and calculation of such nonperturbative processes. A promising calculational method is the direct solution of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation using numerical techniques developed to solve parabolic partial differential equations on vector processing computers. We are currently working on numerical solutions to the one-dimensional equation (in atomic units): where V(r,t) is a finite square well potential subject to an arbitrarily strong electromagnetic field. We have used the Galerkin method with linear tent finite elements to check the one bound state results of Goldberg and Shore1 and the two bound state results of Austin2. We plan to use the Galerkin or collocation method with B-spline finite elements to investigate the one-dimensional Coulomb problem. The most favorable numerical method will be extended to two or more dimensions.