Enhanced multiphoton ionization driven by quantum light

Abstract: Recent advances in nanoscale and microscale photon-pair sources have enabled quantum-light-matter interactions in regimes where standard approximations, such as the paraxial limit, break down. Identifying quantum advantages in these domains requires a unified, first-principles framework that treats arbitrary quantum states of light and realistic material systems without restrictive assumptions. Here, we present a fully relativistic, beyond-paraxial theory of multiphoton ionization driven by quantum light, incorporating the full spatial structure and correlations of the field alongside material properties. As a case study, we apply the formalism to resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) of neutral sodium atoms by momentum-entangled photons. We predict cross-section enhancements of several orders of magnitude compared to coherent light, arising entirely from non-paraxial effects and vanishing in the paraxial limit. The enhancement is strongly channel-dependent, with odd multipole transitions benefiting most from favorable parity and interference conditions. The predicted enhancement is accessible with current state-of-the-art photonic and atomic technologies, highlighting a promising avenue for exploiting quantum light in high-precision ionization and spectroscopy experiments.