Low-energy electron-impact laser-assisted ionization of atomic hydrogen

Abstract

We have studied the influence of a linearly polarized laser field on the dynamics of low $(e,2e)$ collisions in atomic hydrogen. The influence of the laser on the target states is treated using a first-order perturbation approach. The continuum states of the scattered and ejected electrons are described respectively by Volkov and Coulomb-Volkov wave functions. The second Born approximation is used to calculate triple differential cross sections for laser-assisted ionization by low-energy electron impact. The required scattering amplitudes are evaluated by using the Sturmian basis expansion. The influence of the laser parameters (photon energy, intensity, and direction of polarization) on the triple differential cross sections is analyzed, and several illustrative examples are discussed. Our second Born approximation results agree very well with those obtained in the first-order Born approximation at larger incident energies. The margins between the second and first Born approximation results are large at low incident energies in the vicinity of the recoil peaks.