title: Accurate retrieval of target structures and laser parameters of few-cycle pulses from photoelectron momentum spectra.
abstract: We illustrate a new method of analyzing three-dimensional momentum images of high-energy photoelectrons generated by intense phase-stabilized few-cycle laser pulses. Using photoelectron momentum spectra that were obtained by velocity-map imaging of above-threshold ionization of xenon and argon targets, we show that the absolute carrier-envelope phase, the laser peak intensity, and pulse duration can be accurately determined simultaneously (with an error of a few percent). We also show that the target structure, in the form of electron-target ion elastic differential cross sections, can be retrieved over a range of energies. The latter offers the promise of using laser-generated electron spectra for probing dynamic changes in molecular targets with subfemtosecond resolution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Micheau
authors.forename: Zhangjin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rauschenberger
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Kling
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Lin