Intensity-dependent scattering rings in high order above-threshold ionization

Angular distributions of high energy photoelectrons from Xe and Kr, excited by a 50 ps, 1.05 {μ}m laser, are presented. In Xe, strong, narrow rings {~}45 ^∘{} off the polarization axis appear in a limited energy range centered around 9Uₚ, where Uₚ is the ponderomotive energy. This effect is much weaker in Kr. Single active electron calculations agree well with these observations. We conclude that the rings result from single-electron ionization dynamics, most likely involving rescattering from the ion core of the tunneling component of the continuum wave function.