Simple formula for the ionization rate of diatomic molecules in an intense laser field using the velocity gauge

We derive a general ionization rate formula for the system of diatomic molecules in the velocity gauge. A more concise expression of the photoionization rate in the tunnel region is obtained for the first time. Comparisons are made among the different versions of strong-field approximation. The numerical study shows that the ionization rate in the velocity gauge is underestimated by a few orders compared with that in the length gauge. Our simple formula of ionization rate may provide an insight into the ionization mechanism for the system of diatomic molecules.