Spectral signature of back reaction in correlated electron dynamics in intense electromagnetic fields

Few-electron atoms interacting with electromagnetic fields provide for privileged scenarios for disentangling elemental correlation mechanisms. We demonstrate that high-order harmonic generation (HHG) from neutral helium presents a distinctive trace of correlation back reaction in the electron dynamics prior to ionization. We identify a mechanism in which the field interacts with one of the electrons, while the second is excited to a Rydberg level through the Coulomb interaction. As back response to this correlated excitation, the first electron is knocked down to a lower level, from which it ionizes to generate high-order harmonics. Unlike other multielectron phenomena, where the electron-field interaction is modified by cross correlations with the rest of the interacting electrons, back reaction is a mechanism of autocorrelation. Our numerical simulations reveal back reaction as a relevant aspect in HHG from correlated two-electron systems, and paves the way to disentangle valence electron-electron correlation dynamics using high-harmonic spectroscopy.