Abstract-Temporal interferences driven by a single-cycle terahertz pulse in the photodetachment dynamics of negative ions

B. C. Yang and F. Robicheaux

http://journals.aps.org/pra/accepted/ed07dNdfYf519e16d2a313c51b13ef2e1db7dc640

We present theory and calculations of a real-time-domain interferometry for the photodetachment dynamics of negative ions in the presence of a single-cycle terahertz pulse. The photoelectron can follow two or more classical trajectories to arrive at a detector \emph{simultaneously} allowing the electron waves to interfere quantum mechanically. Both the inphase and antiphase oscillations can be observed in the photoelectron interferences from negative hydrogen and fluorine ions depending on the pulse strength and the observing angle. Especially, a temporal-caustic bifurcation is observed when the detecting angle is not in the line with the pulse polarization direction. Similar interferences and bifurcations are also expected in the angle-resolved energy spectrum, as a result of its approximate equivalence with the time-dependent electron flux at large distances.