Production of high-charge states of Xe in a femtosecond laser pulse

In a recent experiment for ionization of the neutral Xe atom with a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser pulse, large yields of high charge states up to sixfold ionizations have been observed. Here, we present a dynamical model of laser-induced nonsequential multiple ionization of a complex atom. The calculated results for the ion yields are found to agree remarkably well for the six charge states measured. Analyses show a significant presence of nonsequential (or direct) escapes of up to four electrons in the experimental data. For future experimental references, predictions for the sevenfold and eightfold ionizations are also made. [S1050-2947(99)50705-1].