Nonlinear attosecond spectroscopy

The forefront of ultrafast science has reached the level to investigate dynamics within atoms and molecules.

The purpose of this research project is to push the frontiers of time-resolved investigation and control of electron dynamics in matter on the natural time scale of electrons.

To this end, it utilizes the combination of a novel intense extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) source of isolated attosecond pulses and nonlinear attosecond spectroscopy. The first process that we will study is inner-shell electron dynamics in xenon governed by collective effects.

Additionally, the temporal duration of the attosecond pulses will also be determined utilizing a suitable nonlinear interaction.

The second specific experiment scrutinizes charge migration in bio-relevant molecules, which is the basis of many fundamental processes.

These goals will be realized with an enhanced pump-probe technique applying only intense isolated attosecond XUV pulses, which is presently not available in other laboratories.This project opens the door for attosecond real-time observation of nonlinear electron dynamics deep inside atoms.

On a long term, it might open a path toward attochemistry, i.e, the manipulation of chemical reactions by controlling only electrons in chemical compounds.

Furthermore, time-resolved studies of electron dynamics in complex molecules may reveal the underlying mechanisms of photosynthesis, charge injection in solar cells, electron transport along large peptides, and protein folding.