The continuous spectrum in the solution of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation for laser-atom interactions

We present results from the application of the state-specific expansion app roach (SSEA) to the ab initio calculation of the ionization probability of the 'delta function atom' interacting with a superstrong high-frequency las er pulse (omega = 1 au, I-peak = 0.1-100 au). These results pertain to the extensively discussed notion of 'stabilization'. A fully converged SSEA cal culation does not produce any 'stabilization'. However, approximations to i t, resulting from the incomplete inclusion of the contribution of the conti nuous spectrum, do.