R-MATRIX-FLOQUET THEORY OF MULTIPHOTON PROCESSES .4. LASER-ASSISTED ELECTRON-PROTON SCATTERING

We present the first application of the R-matrix-Floquet theory to the study of a collisional process in a laser field, namely laser-assiste d electron-proton scattering. We have calculated total and angular dif ferential cross sections for elastic scattering and processes involvin g a net absorption or emission of a number of photons in a linearly po larized laser field. The field induces resonances due to the temporary capture of the projectile electron into atomic hydrogen bound states, accompanied by the exchange of photons with the field. We also find s tructures corresponding to different sublevels due to the breaking of the spherical symmetry of the atomic system by the laser field. We ana lyse in detail these features and their interference patterns for vari ous held parameters and collision geometries.