title: Coherent control of strong-field two-pulse ionization of Rydberg atoms.
abstract: Strong-field ionization of Rydberg atoms is investigated in its dependence on phase features of the initial coherent population of Rydberg levels. In the case of a resonance between Rydberg levels and some lower-energy atomic level (V-type transitions), this dependence is shown to be very strong: by a proper choice of the initial population an atom can be made either completely or very little ionized by a strong laser pulse. It is shown that phase features of the initial coherent population of Rydberg levels and the ionization yield can be efficiently controlled in a scheme of ionization by two strong laser pulses with a varying delay time between them.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fedorov
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Poluektov