SUPERINTENSE FIELD IONISATION SUPPRESSION IN THE HIGH FREQUENCY REGIME

We present a brief review of the subject of ionisation suppression, or atomic stabilisation, in intense laser fields. As a preliminary, we outline the general non-linear response of an atom to a strong laser field, describing multiphoton ionisation and harmonic generation. We then discuss methods of suppressing the ionisation rate from an atom, considering two broad regimes: strong field ionisation (I < 1016 W/cm 2), in which the suppression mechanism in generally interpreted in terms of quantum interference; and superintense field ionisation (I > 1016 W/cm 2), in which the Kramers-Henneberger frame is used to interpret why atomic stabilisation can occur.