Phenomenological rate formulas for over-barrier ionization of hydrogen and helium atoms in strong constant electric fields

Abstract

Nonrelativistic over-barrier ionization (OBI) of atoms in strong electric fields is studied, focussing on hydrogen and helium as concrete examples. Our goal is, on the one hand, to develop an intuitive physical picture behind established empirical formulas for the ionization rate. We show that the ionization rate in a near OBI regime can be modelled quantitatively by extending corresponding tunneling rates by the combined action of the Stark effect and a widened electron emission angle. On the other hand, we present analytical rate formulas in a far OBI regime which closely agree with available numerical data. In result, compact rate expressions describing OBI of hydrogen-like and helium atoms in a broad range of applied field strengths are obtained. They can be useful, for example, in numerical laser-plasma simulation codes to describe elementary ionization events.