We describe a procedure that allows us to solve the three-dimensional time-dependent Schrödinger equation for an atom interacting with a quantized one-mode electromagnetic field. Atom-field ...interaction is treated in an ab initio way prescribed by quantum electrodynamics. We use the procedure to calculate probability distributions of absorbed photons in the regime of tunneling ionization. We analyze evolution of the reduced photon density matrix describing the state of the field. We show that non-diagonal density matrix elements decay quickly, as a result of the decoherence process. A stochastic model, viewing ionization as a Markovian birth-death process, reproduces the main features of the calculated photon distributions.
Abstract
We present a reconstruction algorithm developed for the temporal characterization method called tunneling ionization with a perturbation for the time-domain observation of an electric field ...(TIPTOE). The reconstruction algorithm considers the high-order contribution of an additional laser pulse to ionization, enabling the use of an intense additional laser pulse. Therefore, the signal-to-noise ratio of the TIPTOE measurement is improved by at least one order of magnitude compared to the first-order approximation. In addition, the high-order contribution provides additional information regarding the pulse envelope. The reconstruction algorithm was tested with ionization yields obtained by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. The optimal conditions for accurate reconstruction were analyzed. The reconstruction algorithm was also tested using experimental data obtained using few-cycle laser pulses. The reconstructed pulses obtained under different dispersion conditions exhibited good consistency. These results confirm the validity and accuracy of the reconstruction process.
Abstract
We study propagation effects due to the finite speed of light in ionization of extended molecular systems. We present a general quantitative theory of these effects and show under which ...conditions such effects should appear. The finite speed of light propagation effects are encoded in the non-dipole terms of the time-dependent Shrödinger equation and display themselves in the photoelectron momentum distribution projected on the molecular axis. Our numerical modeling for the
$$\hbox {H}_{2}^{+}$$
H
2
+
molecular ion and the
$$\hbox {Ne}_2$$
Ne
2
dimer shows that the finite light propagation time from one atomic center to another can be accurately determined in a table top laser experiment which is much more readily accessible than the ground breaking synchrotron measurement by Grundmann et al. (Science 370:339, 2020).
We report a study of the entanglement between the quantized photon field and an atom arising in the photo-ionization process. Our approach is based on an ab initio solution of the time-dependent ...Schrödinger equation (TDSE) describing the quantum evolution of a bipartite system consisting of the atom and the quantized electromagnetic field. Using the solution of the TDSE, we calculate the reduced photon density matrix, which we subsequently use to compute entanglement entropy. We explain some properties of the entanglement entropy and propose an approximate formula for the entanglement entropy based on the analysis of the density matrix and its eigenvalues. We present the results of a comparative study of the entanglement in the photo-ionization process for various ionization regimes, including the tunneling and the multiphoton ionization regimes.
Abstract
We describe an approach to the description of the time-development of the process of strong field ionization of atoms based on the calculation of the joint probability of occurrence of two ...events, event B being finding atom in the ionized state after the end of the laser pulse, event A being finding a particular value of a given physical observable at a moment of time inside the laser pulse duration. As an example of such an physical observable we consider lateral velocity component of the electron’s velocity. Our approach allows us to study time-evolution of the lateral velocity distribution for the ionized electron during the interval of the laser pulse duration. We present results of such a study for the cases of target atomic systems with short range Yukawa and Coulomb interactions.
When an atom or molecule is exposed to a strong laser field, an electron can tunnel out from the parent ion and moves along a specific trajectory. This ultrafast electron motion is sensitive to a ...variation of the laser field. Thus, it can be used as a fast temporal gate for the temporal characterization of the laser field. Here, we demonstrate a new type of attosecond streaking wherein a rescattered electron trajectory is manipulated by an ultrashort laser pulse. The vector potential of the laser pulse is directly recorded in the photoelectron spectra of the rescattered electron. In contrast to high harmonic generation methods, our approach has no directional ambiguity in space, leading to complete in situ temporal characterization. In addition, it provides timing information on ionization and re-scattering events. Therefore, our approach can be a useful tool for the investigation of strong-field processes triggered by rescattering, such as non-sequential double ionization and laser-induced electron diffraction.
A single-cycle laser pulse was generated using a two-stage compressor and characterized using a pulse characterization technique based on tunnelling ionization. A 25-fs, 800-nm laser pulse was ...compressed to 5.5 fs using a gas-filled hollow-core fibre and a set of chirped mirrors. The laser pulse was further compressed, down to the single-cycle limit by propagation through multiple fused-silica plates and another set of chirped mirrors. The two-stage compressor mitigates the development of higher-order dispersion during spectral broadening. Thus, a single-cycle pulse was generated by compensating the second-order dispersion using chirped mirrors. The duration of the single-cycle pulse was 2.5 fs, while its transform-limited duration was 2.2 fs. A continuum extreme ultraviolet spectrum was obtained through high-harmonic generation without applying any temporal gating technique. The continuum spectrum was shown to have a strong dependence on the carrier-envelope phase of the laser pulse, confirming the generation of a single-cycle pulse.
High harmonic radiation, produced when intense laser pulses interact with matter, is composed of a train of attosecond pulses. Individual pulses in this train carry information on ultrafast dynamics ...that vary from one half-optical-cycle to the next. Here, we demonstrate an all-optical photonic streaking measurement that provides direct experimental access to each attosecond pulse by mapping emission time onto propagation angle. This is achieved by inducing an ultrafast rotation of the instantaneous laser wavefront at the focus. We thus time-resolve attosecond pulse train generation, and hence the dynamics in the nonlinear medium itself. We apply photonic streaking to harmonic generation in gases and directly observe, for the first time, the influence of non-adiabatic electron dynamics and plasma formation on the generated attosecond pulse train. These experimental and numerical results also provide the first evidence of the generation of attosecond lighthouses in gases, which constitute ideal sources for attosecond pump-probe spectroscopy.
High-harmonic radiation can be generated when an ultra-intense laser beam is reflected from an over-dense plasma, known as a plasma mirror. It is considered a promising technique for generating ...intense attosecond pulses in the extreme ultraviolet and X-ray wavelength ranges. However, a solid target used for the formation of the over-dense plasma is completely damaged by the interaction. Thus, it is challenging to use a solid target for applications such as time-resolved studies and attosecond streaking experiments that require a large amount of data. Here we demonstrate that high-harmonic radiation can be continuously generated from a liquid plasma mirror in both the coherent wake emission and relativistic oscillating mirror regimes. These results will pave the way for the development of bright, stable, and high-repetition-rate attosecond light sources, which can greatly benefit the study of ultrafast laser-matter interactions.
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