Integrated cross sections and polarization of photoelectrons in two-photon ionization of alkali metal atoms using two optical beams

General equations are proposed for the integrated cross section and degree of spin polarization of photoelectrons emitted by ground-state alkali metal atoms in two-photon ionization by two different optical beams. The equations, which are derived in the fine-structure approximation, are valid for polarized and unpolarized atoms, parallel experimental geometries, completely polarized (elliptically, circularly, and linearly polarized) and completely unpolarized optical beams, and also near resonance with an $nP$ intermediate doublet level.