The photoelectron angular distributions (PADs) of hydrogen atoms in an intense laser field of linear polarization are studied using the S-matrix theory in the length gauge. The PADs show main lobes along the laser polarization and jet-like structures sticking from the waist of main lobes. Our previous prediction, based on a nonperturbative scattering theory of photoionization developed by Guo et al, showing that the number of jets on one side of PADs may increase by one, three, or other odd

more »

... ers and may decrease by one when one more photon is absorbed, is confirmed by this treatment. Within the strong-field approximation, good agreement is obtained between these two quite different treatments. We further study the influence of the Coulomb attraction to PADs, by taking a Coulomb-Volkov state as the continuum state of photoelectrons. We find that under the influence of the Coulomb attraction, the PADs change greatly but the predicted phenomena still appear. This study verifies that the jet-like structures have no relation with the angular momentum of photoelectrons.