Study on the photodetachment wave packet dynamics of H- ion in a gradient electric field

Abstract

Using the combination of the time-dependent perturbation theory and the closed-orbit theory, we put forward a calculation formula for the autocorrelation function of H ion in a gradient electric field, and then calculate and analyze the autocorrelation function of the system. Especially, we discuss the effect of laser pulse width, electric field strength and the electric field gradient on the autocorrelation function of H ion in a gradient electric field. It is demonstrated that when the laser pulse width is very narrow, far less than the period of the detached electron, the quantum wave packet revival phenomenon is significant. A series of sharp reviving peaks appear in the autocorrelation function, which are caused by the interference between the returning electron wave packets travelling along the closed orbit and the outgoing electron wave packets. However, with the increase of laser pulse width, the quantum wave packet revival phenomenon becomes weakened. When the difference between the pulse width and the period of the closed orbit is not very large, the reviving peaks in the autocorrelation function become widely spread gradually and the oscillatory structures get flattened. This correspondence will vanish finally due to the interference between the adjacent peaks. In addition, our study also suggests that the background electric field strength and the electric field gradient in the gradient electric field can also have significant effects on the autocorrelation function. With the increase of background electric field strength and electric field gradient, the period of the detached electron's closed orbit gets shorter, the number of the revival peaks in the autocorrelation function is increased gradually, and the quantum wave packet revival phenomenon will be enhanced. Therefore, we can control the autocorrelation function of the hydrogen negative ion by changing the laser pulse width and the external electric field strength. Our results will provide some reference values for the experimental research on the wave packet dynamic property of atoms or ions in external fields.