Ultrafast dynamics of correlated electrons in strong laser fields: investigations of effective many-body spaces

The photoelectric effect was explained by Einstein more than 100-years ago. His invention of “light particles” (photons) now marks the birth of quantum mechanics. Today, advanced light sources provide novel ways to study the nature of light and matter under extreme conditions. Photoionization dynamics in intense light is a subject that continues to challenge our intuition.

Recently so because it opens up avenues of studies of time-resolved quantum entanglement.

An atom can be photoionized by a short-wavelength X-ray pulse from the inside, or from the outside by long-wavelength laser pulses.

This project aims to develop a theory to describe time-dependent coherent quantum dynamics of atoms in such extreme light fields.

Suppose two electrons are ejected, which may happen through the Auger-Meitner relaxation process, or by absorption of two X-ray photons. In these cases, the quantum entanglement of massive particles can be probed with coherent ultrafast fields.

During this project, we will study these fundamental questions to gain a better understanding of electron dynamics from decaying systems.

Due to the complexity of the problem with two free electrons, special techniques, such as non-Hermitian Hamiltonians will be employed. Our study will be conducted in two phases: 1. The non-relativistic case with the time-dependent Schrödinger equation and 2. The relativistic case with the time-dependent Dirac equation.