For time-dependent strong-field atomic ionization a new theoretical approach is described that combines the numerical time-dependent Schrödinger equation (TDSE) and the numerical time-dependent Newtonian equation (TDNE). This approach keeps both the accuracy of quantum calculations and the speed of classical calculations. It does not use approximate tunneling formulas. It is applied to a recent experimental result, and we show its successful comparison to extensive TDSE calculations made under exactly the same conditions.

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A virtual detector (VD) is an imaginary device located at a fixed position in space that extracts information from the wave packet passing through it. By recording the particle momentum and the corresponding probability current at each time, the VDs can accumulate and build the differential momentum distribution of the particle, in a way that resembles real experiments. A mathematical proof is given for the equivalence of the differential momentum distribution obtained by the VD method and by Fourier transforming the wave function. In addition to being a tool for reducing the computational load, VDs have also been found useful in interpreting the ultrafast strong-field ionization process, especially the controversial quantum tunneling process.

Using a classical ensemble approach, electrons detached sequentially by short circularly polarized laser pulses are predicted to be correlated in their emission directions. The correlation is introduced by the laser pulses. By changing the laser intensity, the angle between the two emissions can be controlled continuously, from 0° (parallel) to 90° (perpendicular) to 180° (antiparallel). The effect on the resultant ion momentum distribution is discussed.

We take advantage of the information provided by use of elliptical polarization in a recent twoelectron release time experiment [A.N. Pfeiffer et al., Nature Physics 7, 428 (2011)]. This allows a comparative test of the currently dominant conjectures regarding independent-electron tunneling theory vs. fully electron-correlated classical release theory to describe electron release in strong-field double ionization.