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Orbital angular momentum control of strong-field ionization in atoms and molecules

Author

Listed:
  • Jean-Luc Bégin

    (University of Ottawa)

  • Ebrahim Karimi

    (University of Ottawa)

  • Paul Corkum

    (University of Ottawa)

  • Thomas Brabec

    (University of Ottawa)

  • Ravi Bhardwaj

    (University of Ottawa)

Abstract

Tunnel ionization, the fundamental process in strong field physics and attosecond science, along with the subsequent electron dynamics are typically governed by the polarization and carrier envelope phase of the incident laser pulse. Moreover, most light-matter interactions involve Gaussian beams and rely primarily on dipole-active transitions. In this article, we reveal that Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) carrying beams enable to control tunnel ionization in atoms and molecules. The ionization process is manipulated by the sign and value of the OAM and by displacing the phase singularity. We show that the helical phase and field gradients inherent in the higher-order multipole expansion of the tunneling process cause ionization to depend on OAM. Simulations indicate that, in contrast to Gaussian beams, the ponderomotive effects can also be controlled with OAM and the asymmetry in the optical vortex. Our findings have an impact on attosecond science, spectroscopy, and super-resolution microscopy.

Suggested Citation

  • Jean-Luc Bégin & Ebrahim Karimi & Paul Corkum & Thomas Brabec & Ravi Bhardwaj, 2025. "Orbital angular momentum control of strong-field ionization in atoms and molecules," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-14, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-57618-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57618-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zijian Shi & Zhensong Wan & Ziyu Zhan & Kaige Liu & Qiang Liu & Xing Fu, 2023. "Super-resolution orbital angular momentum holography," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Ashish Jain & Jean-Luc Bégin & Paul Corkum & Ebrahim Karimi & Thomas Brabec & Ravi Bhardwaj, 2024. "Intrinsic dichroism in amorphous and crystalline solids with helical light," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Shay Keren-Zur & Mai Tal & Sharly Fleischer & Daniel M. Mittleman & Tal Ellenbogen, 2019. "Generation of spatiotemporally tailored terahertz wavepackets by nonlinear metasurfaces," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-6, December.
    4. Christian T. Schmiegelow & Jonas Schulz & Henning Kaufmann & Thomas Ruster & Ulrich G. Poschinger & Ferdinand Schmidt-Kaler, 2016. "Transfer of optical orbital angular momentum to a bound electron," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-6, December.
    5. Fanqi Kong & Chunmei Zhang & Frédéric Bouchard & Zhengyan Li & Graham G. Brown & Dong Hyuk Ko & T. J. Hammond & Ladan Arissian & Robert W. Boyd & Ebrahim Karimi & P. B. Corkum, 2017. "Controlling the orbital angular momentum of high harmonic vortices," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-6, April.
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