Stability of dressed states against radiative decay in strongly coupled bound-continuum transitions

Complex dressed states and photoelectron spectra are considered for a model system containing two discrete states that are coupled by separate lasers to a continuum that supports a resonance such as an autoionizing state. Spontaneous radiative decay from the structured continuum has been included and its effects are examined. It is shown that population can be trapped within the model atom even when radiative decay is included provided (1) the two Fano q values which characterize the discrete-state--continuum interactions are equal, and (2) the two-photon resonance condition is satisfied.