Strong-field control and spectroscopy of attosecond electron-hole dynamics in molecules.
Molecular structures, dynamics and chemical properties are determined by shared electrons in valence shells. We show how one can selectively remove a valence electron from either Pi vs. Sigma or bonding vs. nonbonding orbital by applying an intense infrared laser field to an ensemble of aligned molecules. In molecules, such ionization often induces multielectron dynamics on the attosecond time scale. Ionizing laser field also allows one to record and reconstruct these dynamics with attosecond temporal and sub-Angstrom spatial resolution. Reconstruction relies on monitoring and controlling high-frequency emission produced when the liberated electron recombines with the valence shell hole created by ionization.
Smirnova
Olga
O
National Research Council of Canada, 100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Patchkovskii
Serguei
S
Mairesse
Yann
Y
Dudovich
Nirit
N
Ivanov
Misha Yu
MY
D003198:Computer Simulation; D004583:Electrons; D007477:Ions / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D007834:Lasers; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D011789:Quantum Theory; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013816:Thermodynamics
D007477:Ions