Comment on "Photodetachment in combined static and dynamic electric fields" - art. no. 037401

The theoretical analysis of C. Rangan and A. R. P. Rau [Phys. Rev. A 61, 03 3405 (2000)] on the process of photodetachment of H- in a strong static ele ctric field, which calls into question the predictions of B. Gao and A. F. Starace [Phys. Rev. A 42, 5580 (1990)] and also of M. Q. Bac, et al. [Phys. Rev. A 58, 411 (1998)], is shown in this Comment to be incorrect. First, w e point out that a number of assumptions of Rangan and Rau's analysis rest on tenuous theoretical grounds. Second, we adduce two completely independen t and different analyses of the problem which precisely confirm the results of Gao and Starace. These independent analyses also provide the interpreta tion that Gao and Starace's predicted strong-field effects are due to the e xact account of the influence of the static electric field, not only on the final state of the detached electron, but also on the initial bound-electr on state.