Effect of laser polarization on x-ray emission from Ar-n (n=200-10(4)) clusters in intense laser fields - art. no. 023203

Emission of argon K-shell x rays produced upon irradiation of Ar-n(n = 200- 10(4)) clusters by intense (10(14)-10(16) W cm(-2)), femtosecond laser fiel ds is probed as a function of the ellipticity of the impinging laser light. We observe no functional dependence of the K-shell x-ray emission on ellip ticity. This is in contrast to polarization state dependences that have bee n observed in other facets of intense-laser interactions with gasphase mole cules, such as tunnel ionization and multiple tunnel ionization, above thre shold ionization and high-order harmonic generation. Our data are rationali zed using results of recent Monte Carlo simulations.