Diagrammatic approach to attosecond delays in photoionization

Abstract

We study laser-assisted photoionization by attosecond pulses using a time-independent formalism based on diagrammatic many-body perturbation theory. Our aim is to provide an ab inito route to the "delays" for this above-threshold ionization process, which is essential for a quantitative understanding of attosecond metrology. We present correction curves for characterization schemes of attosecond pulses, such as "streaking", that account for the delayed atomic response in ionization from neon and argon. We also verify that photoelectron delays from many-electron atoms can be measured using similar schemes if, instead, the so-called continuum--continuum delay is subtracted. Our method is general and it can be extended also to more complex systems and additional correlation effects can be introduced systematically.