High-harmonic generation and high-order above-threshold ionization spectra
calculated in the strong-field approximation are analyzed in terms of the c
omplex space-time orbits that result from a saddle point analysis of the un
derlying integrals. For elliptical polarization, the plateaus of the spectr
a of high-harmonic generation and high-order above-threshold ionization eac
h turn into a staircase of very similar appearance. Each step of the stair
can be traced to a particular pair of orbits which are almost identical in
both cases.