Laser-induced ionization of ions from high brightness ion sources

Au and Si ions from high brightness liquid metal ion sources (LMIS) are used as ionic targets for strong-field laser interaction with femtosecond laser beam. Field ionization processes in the field emission source at electrostatic fields of some 10 V/nm allow the generation of various metallic and metalloid ion beams with charge states such as Au^{2+} and Si^{2+}. Studying the ionization in strong femtosecond laser fields with intensities of up to 1E16 W/cm^2, we observed for these elements charge states up to Au^{11+} and Si^{4+}.