Phase-dependent angular distributions of photoelectrons in an infinite sequence of linearly polarized few-cycle pulses

Abstract

Above-threshold ionization of Xe atoms in an infinite sequence of linearly polarized few-cycle pluses is studied. The dependence of photoelectron angular distributions (PADs) on the carrier-envelope (CE) phase in various few-cycle pulses are obtained. Our study shows that PADs in linearly polarized few-cycle pulses vary with the CE phase. The PADs are inversion asymmetric for most CE phases and inversion symmetric for some special CE phases. The PADs are always symmetric about the polarization vector, but the maximal ionization rates vary with the CE phase. Our study also shows the jet structures in PADs arising from the inherent property of photon ionization and the variation of PADs with the number of optical cycles in a single pulse.