Relative phase effect of nonsequential double ionization in Ar by two-color elliptically polarized laser field*

Abstract

We investigated the nonsequential double ionization (NSDI) in Ar by two-color elliptically polarized laser field with a three-dimensional (3D) classical ensemble method. We study the relative phase effect of NSDI and distinguish two particular recollision channels in NSDI, which are recollision–impact ionization (RII) and recollision-induced excitation with subsequent ionization (RESI), according to the delay-time between the recollision and the final double ionization. The numerical results indicate that the ion momentum distribution is changed and the triangle structure is more obvious with the decrease of the relative phase. We also demonstrate that the RESI process always dominates in the whole double ionization process and the ratio of RESI and RII channels can be influenced by the relative phase.