Nonlinear dynamics of recollisions in the double ionization processes of atoms in strong fields

Double ionization processes triggered by intense linearly polarized laser fields have revealed the paramount role of electron-electron collisions. It has been shown [1] that the correlated dynamics of such electronic collisions can be modeled by a two dimensional symplectic map which captures the bare essentials of the energy exchange processes occurring during a recollision between the two electrons. We investigate linear and nonlinear properties of this map and connect them to the dynamical organization of phase space and related statistical data. © 2010 American Institute of Physics