arXiv subjects

J. Mauritsson

Publications and source records attributed to J. Mauritsson.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

Experimental observation of trajectories beyond the long in high order harmonic generation

We experimentally observe longer than long trajectory influence in high order harmonic generation (HHG) by varying the peak intensity of the driving laser field through either direct attenuation, or by chirping the laser pulse. Using a theoretical Gaussian beam model to simulate spatial interference resulting from quantum path interference we show that the measured interference patterns cannot be solely explained by the well established short and long trajectories. The structure change is most prominent for the more divergent, off-axis components of the lower plateau harmonic region, affecting the direction and amplitude of the extreme ultraviolet light emitted, and is thus of importance for understanding and controlling the fundamentals of the HHG process.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

Probing Stark-induced nonlinear phase variation with opto-optical modulation

We extend the recently developed technique of opto-optical modulation (OOM) to probe state-resolved ac-Stark-induced phase variations of a coherently excited ensemble of helium atoms. In a joint experimental and theoretical study, we find that the spatial redirection of the resonant emission from the OOM process is different for the low-lying 1s2p state as compared with the higher-lying Rydberg states, and that this redirection can be controlled through the spatial characteristics of the infrared (IR) probe beam. In particular, we observe that the intensity dependence of the IR-induced Stark phase on the 1s2p emission is nonlinear, and that the phase accumulation changes sign for moderate intensities. Our results suggest that OOM, combined with precise experimental shaping of the probe beam, could be used to measure the Stark-induced phase shifts of excited states.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2016

Sub-cycle ionization dynamics revealed by trajectory resolved, elliptically-driven high-order harmonic generation

The sub-cycle dynamics of electrons driven by strong laser fields is central to the emerging field of attosecond science. We demonstrate how the dynamics can be probed through high-order harmonic generation, where different trajectories leading to the same harmonic order are initiated at different times, thereby probing different field strengths. We find large differences between the trajectories with respect to both their sensitivity to driving field ellipticity and resonant enhancement. To accurately describe the ellipticity dependence of the long trajectory harmonics we must include a sub-cycle change of the initial velocity distribution of the electron and its excursion time. The resonant enhancement is observed only for the long trajectory contribution of a particular harmonic when a window resonance in argon, which is off-resonant in the field-free case, is shifted into resonance due to a large dynamic Stark shift.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2015

Phase measurement of a Fano window resonance using tunable attosecond pulses

We study the photoionization of argon atoms close to the 3s$^2$3p$^6$ $\rightarrow$ 3s$^1$3p$^6$4p $\leftrightarrow$ 3s$^2$3p$^5$ $\varepsilon \ell$, $\ell$=s,d Fano window resonance. An interferometric technique using an attosecond pulse train, i.e. a frequency comb in the extreme ultraviolet range, and a weak infrared probe field allows us to study both amplitude and phase of the photoionization probability amplitude as a function of photon energy. A theoretical calculation of the ionization process accounting for several continuum channels and bandwidth effects reproduces well the experimental observations and shows that the phase variation of the resonant two-photon amplitude depends on the interaction between the channels involved in the autoionization process.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2012

Photoemission time-delay measurements and calculations close to the 3s ionization minimum in Ar

We present experimental measurements and theoretical calculations of photoionization time delays from the $3s$ and $3p$ shells in Ar in the photon energy range of 32-42 eV. The experimental measurements are performed by interferometry using attosecond pulse trains and the infrared laser used for their generation. The theoretical approach includes intershell correlation effects between the 3s and 3p shells within the framework of the random phase approximation with exchange (RPAE). The connection between single-photon ionization and the two-color two-photon ionization process used in the measurement is established using the recently developed asymptotic approximation for the complex transition amplitudes of laser-assisted photoionization. We compare and discuss the theoretical and experimental results especially in the region where strong intershell correlations in the 3s to kp channel lead to an induced "Cooper" minimum in the 3s ionization cross-section.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2012

Theory of attosecond delays in laser-assisted photoionization

We study the temporal aspects of laser-assisted extreme ultraviolet (XUV) photoionization using attosecond pulses of harmonic radiation. The aim of this paper is to establish the general form of the phase of the relevant transition amplitudes and to make the connection with the time-delays that have been recently measured in experiments. We find that the overall phase contains two distinct types of contributions: one is expressed in terms of the phase-shifts of the photoelectron continuum wavefunction while the other is linked to continuum--continuum transitions induced by the infrared (IR) laser probe. Our formalism applies to both kinds of measurements reported so far, namely the ones using attosecond pulse trains of XUV harmonics and the others based on the use of isolated attosecond pulses (streaking). The connection between the phases and the time-delays is established with the help of finite difference approximations to the energy derivatives of the phases. This makes clear that the observed time-delays is a sum of two components: a one-photon Wigner-like delay and an universal delay that originates from the probing process itself.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2011

Quantum mechanical approach to probing the birth of attosecond pulses using a two-color field

We investigate the generation of even and odd harmonics using an intense laser and a weak second harmonic field. Our theoretical approach is based on solving the saddle-point equations within the Strong Field Approximation. The phase of the even harmonic oscillation as a function of the delay between fundamental and second harmonic field is calculated and its variation with energy is found to be in good agreement with recent experimental results. We also find that the relationship between this phase variation and the group delay of the attosecond pulses, depends on the intensity and wavelength of the fundamental field as well as the ionization potential of the atom.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2010

Probing single-photon ionization on the attosecond time scale

We study photoionization of argon atoms excited by attosecond pulses using an interferometric measurement technique. We measure the difference in time delays between electrons emitted from the $3s^2$ and from the $3p^6$ shell, at different excitation energies ranging from 32 to 42 eV. The determination of single photoemission time delays requires to take into account the measurement process, involving the interaction with a probing infrared field. This contribution can be estimated using an universal formula and is found to account for a substantial fraction of the measured delay.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2010

Attosecond electron spectroscopy using a novel interferometric pump-probe technique

We present an interferometric pump-probe technique for the characterization of attosecond electron wave packets (WPs) that uses a free WP as a reference to measure a bound WP. We demonstrate our method by exciting helium atoms using an attosecond pulse with a bandwidth centered near the ionization threshold, thus creating both a bound and a free WP simultaneously. After a variable delay, the bound WP is ionized by a few-cycle infrared laser precisely synchronized to the original attosecond pulse. By measuring the delay-dependent photoelectron spectrum we obtain an interferogram that contains both quantum beats as well as multi-path interference. Analysis of the interferogram allows us to determine the bound WP components with a spectral resolution much better than the inverse of the attosecond pulse duration.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2010

Phase Measurement of Resonant Two-Photon Ionization in Helium

We study resonant two-color two-photon ionization of Helium via the 1s3p 1P1 state. The first color is the 15th harmonic of a tunable titanium sapphire laser, while the second color is the fundamental laser radiation. Our method uses phase-locked high-order harmonics to determine the {\it phase} of the two-photon process by interferometry. The measurement of the two-photon ionization phase variation as a function of detuning from the resonance and intensity of the dressing field allows us to determine the intensity dependence of the transition energy.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2009

Intensity Dependence of Laser-Assisted Attosecond Photoionization Spectra

We study experimentally the influence of the intensity of the infrared (IR) probe field on attosecond pulse train (APT) phase measurements performed with the RABITT method (Reconstruction of Attosecond Beating by Interference in Two-Photon Transitions). We find that if a strong IR field is applied, the attosecond pulses will appear to have lower-than-actual chirp rates. We also observe the onset of the streaking regime in the breakdown of the weak-field RABITT conditions. We perform a Fourier-analysis of harmonic and sideband continuum states and show that the mutual phase relation of the harmonics can be extracted from higher Fourier components.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2008

Spectral signature of short attosecond pulse trains

We report experimental measurements of high-order harmonic spectra generated in Ar using a carrier-envelope-offset (CEO) stabilized 12 fs, 800nm laser field and a fraction (less than 10%) of its second harmonic. Additional spectral peaks are observed between the harmonic peaks, which are due to interferences between multiple pulses in the train. The position of these peaks varies with the CEO and their number is directly related to the number of pulses in the train. An analytical model, as well as numerical simulations, support our interpretation.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2007

Coherent Electron Scattering Captured by an Attosecond Quantum Stroboscope

The basic properties of atoms, molecules and solids are governed by electron dynamics which take place on extremely short time scales. To measure and control these dynamics therefore requires ultrafast sources of radiation combined with efficient detection techniques. The generation of extreme ultraviolet (XUV) attosecond (1 as = 10-18 s) pulses has, for the first time, made direct measurements of electron dynamics possible. Nevertheless, while various applications of attosecond pulses have been demonstrated experimentally, no one has yet captured or controlled the full three dimensional motion of an electron on an attosecond time scale. Here we demonstrate an attosecond quantum stroboscope capable of guiding and imaging electron motion on a sub-femtosecond (1 fs = 10-15 s) time scale. It is based on a sequence of identical attosecond pulses which are synchronized with a guiding laser field. The pulse to pulse separation in the train is tailored to exactly match an optical cycle of the laser field and the electron momentum distributions are detected with a velocity map imaging spectrometer (VMIS). This technique has enabled us to guide ionized electrons back to their parent ion and image the scattering event. We envision that coherent electron scattering from atoms, molecules and surfaces captured by the attosecond quantum stroboscope will complement more traditional scattering techniques since it provides high temporal as well as spatial resolution.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2007

Attosecond Control of Ionization Dynamics

Attosecond pulses can be used to initiate and control electron dynamics on a sub-femtosecond time scale. The first step in this process occurs when an atom absorbs an ultraviolet photon leading to the formation of an attosecond electron wave packet (EWP). Until now, attosecond pulses have been used to create free EWPs in the continuum, where they quickly disperse. In this paper we use a train of attosecond pulses, synchronized to an infrared (IR) laser field, to create a series of EWPs that are below the ionization threshold in helium. We show that the ionization probability then becomes a function of the delay between the IR and attosecond fields. Calculations that reproduce the experimental results demonstrate that this ionization control results from interference between transiently bound EWPs created by different pulses in the train. In this way, we are able to observe, for the first time, wave packet interference in a strongly driven atomic system.

physics.atom-ph↗