ATOMIC STABILIZATION IN THE PRESENCE OF INTENSE LASER-PULSES

The nonperturbative response of atomic systems under strong laser radi ation has been an important area of research both experimentally and t heoretically. In a typical experiment, a very high power laser (operat ing at an intensity of the order of 10(13) W/cm2 or higher, delivering 1 mum wavelength light pulses with duration from a few pico-seconds d own to a few hundred femto-seconds) is focused down to a tight spot in space filled with dilute gas where ionization occurs. These experimen ts have been successful in studying the single-atom strong-field physi cs where the predictions of ionization based on low-field perturbation theory are invalid. Various theories have been used to explain new ef fects associated with different intensity regions. In this review we i ntend to summarize the steps for arriving at a new theoretical predict ion of atoms in laser pulses of intensity 10(16) W/cm2 or stronger. Th e prediction that atoms tend to stabilize in laser pulses strong enoug h to produce full ionization is rather counter-intuitive. The phenomen on of atomic stabilization will be introduced through space-time integ ration of Schrodinger equation. A more quantitative account of the ass ociated effects during a stabilization will be analyzed through a simp lified one-dimensional long-range potential. To further understand the features of stabilization, a one-dimensional short-range potential is also employed. We will mention some possible experimental consequence s of stabilization.