  Carrier envelope phase (CEP) stabilized 5 fs and 22 fs pulses of intense 800
nm light are used to probe the strong-field ionization dynamics of
multielectron entities, xenon and carbon disulfide. We compare ion yields
obtained with and without CEP-stabilization: with 8-cycle (22 fs) pulses,
Xe$^{6+}$ yields are suppressed (relative to Xe$^+$ yields) by between 30% and
50%, depending on phase, reflecting the phase dependence of non-sequential
ionization and its contribution to the formation of higher charge states. On
the other hand, ion yields for Xe$^{q+}$ ($q$=2-4) with CEP-stablized pulses
are enhanced (by up to 50%) compared to those with CEP-unstabilized pulses.
Such enhancment is particulary pronounced with 2-cycle (5 fs) pulses and is
distinctly phase-dependent. Orbital shape and symmetry are found to have a
bearing on the response of CS$_2$ to variations in optical field that are
effected as CE phase is controllably altered, keeping the overall intensity
constant. Molecular fragmentation is found to depend on field strength (not
intensity); the observed relative enhancement of fragmentation when
CEP-stabilized 2-cycle pulses are used is found to be at the expense of
molecular ionization.
