Few cycle dynamics of multiphoton double ionization

Summary form only given. In strong field ionization, the combined fields of the laser and the parent ion influence an electron removed from the atomic core. Coulomb attraction between the electron and parent ion, causes a small deflection of electron trajectories whenever the electron approaches the ionic core. This increases the probability for the electron to revisit the ionic core after multiple passes, forcing repeated revivals of its spatial correlation with the bound electrons. The total probability of double ionization depends on the number of returns and therefore on the number of optical periods in the laser pulse.