Coulomb time delays in high harmonic generation

Abstract

Measuring the time it takes to remove an electron from an atom or molecule during photoionization using newly developed attosecond spectroscopies has been a focus of many recent experiments. However, the outcome of such measurement depends on measurement protocols and specific observables available in each particular experiment. One of such protocols relies on high harmonic generation. First, we derive rigorous and general expressions for ionization and recombination times in high harmonic generation experiments. We show that these times are different from, but related to ionization times measured in photo-electron spectroscopy, i.e. using attosecond streak camera, RABBITT and atto-clock methods. Second, we use the Analytical R-Matrix theory (ARM) to calculate these times and compare them with experimental values.