Atomic structure dependence of nonsequential double ionization of He, Ne and Ar in strong laser pulses

The ion momentum spectra for nonsequential double ionization of rare gases (He, Ne, and Ar) in 23 fs 795-nm laser pulses were measured in the intensity range between 0.075 and 1.25 PW/cm 2 .Confusing differences in the shape of so far published momentum distributions between the different targets are consistently explained within a recollision scenario: Excitation during recollision plus subsequent field ionization, not implemented in most theoretical approaches, is provided evidence to play a decisive role for He and Ar nonsequential double ionization whereas it plays only a minor role for Ne.32.80.Rm, 31.90.+s , 32.80.Fb Many-electron dynamics in intense laser fields has been the subject of a large number of theoretical and experimental investigations.In particular, strong field double ionization is a fundamental process and, at the same time, one of the most challenging problems in atomic and optical physics, theoretically as well as experimentally.Whereas single ionization is well understood within the ësingle active electroní (SAE) model, the