In this paper, we present the theory of photoelectron angular distributions in resonant multiphoton ionization that rigorously takes into account the saturation, ac Stark-shift, and the laser-linewidth effects. The influence of these effects on the distribution is incorporated through the coupling equations between the angle-resolved ionization probabilities and the (time-dependent) bound-state density-matrix elements. General expressions for the angular distributions are derived and several properties of these distributions are arrived at from these expressions. Finally, numerical results are presented to illustrate the effects of saturation, of ac Stark shifts, and of the laser line shape.

• Received 5 August 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.27.861