Observation of the Modification of "Optical" Collision Dynamics in Intense Laser Fields

Abstract

The qualitative form of the predictions of Light and Szöke for an optical collision involving the $\lambda =460.7\mathrm{}$-nm transition in strontium perturbed by argon has been verified. In the presence of linearly polarized laser light the $m_J=0\mathrm{}$ to $m_J=0\mathrm{}$ is "switched off" at large field intensities (≳ 50 MW/${\mathrm{cm}}^2$) whereas the $m_J=0\mathrm{}$ to $m_J=\pm 1$ transition is not observed to saturate. The consequences for the study of laser-induced phenomena is discussed.