ELECTRON-SCATTERING IN A YUKAWA POTENTIAL IN THE PRESENCE OF A HIGH-FREQUENCY LASER FIELD

A numerical investigation of electron potential scattering in the pres ence of a high-frequency, high-intensity electromagnetic field has bee n carried out using classical mechanics. A Yukawa potential has been c onsidered to simulate the electron-atom interaction. The high-frequenc y approximation, in which the electron moves in the so-called dressed potential has been employed. Both scattering angles and energy transfe r from the field have been calculated. Strong fields lead to marked re ductions in the scattering angle, Except at high frequencies large ene rgy transfers are obtained, in the approximation that the energy trans fer can be evaluated using trajectories in the dressed potential. Prel iminary calculations on the validity of the high-frequency approximati on show that it yields, within about 30%, the maximum energy transferr ed as the field phase is altered, but is poor for the detailed variati on with phase.