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Measuring attosecond electron dynamics in molecules

Objective

"The goal of the present proposal is to realize measurements of electronic dynamics in polyatomic
molecules with attosecond temporal resolution (1 as = 10^-18s). We propose to study electronic
rearrangements following photoexcitation, charge migration in a molecular chain induced by
ionization and non-adiabatic multi-electron dynamics in an intense laser field. The grand question
addressed by this research is the characterization of electron correlations which control the shape, properties and function of molecules. In all three proposed projects, a time-domain approach appears to be the most suitable since it reduces complex molecular dynamics to the purely electronic dynamics by exploiting the hierarchy of motional time scales. Experimentally, we propose to realize an innovative experimental setup. A few-cycle infrared (IR) pulse will be used to generate attosecond pulses in the extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) by high-harmonic generation. The IR pulse will be separated from the XUV by means of an innovative interferometer. Additionally, it will permit the introduction of a controlled attosecond delay between the two pulses. We propose to use the attosecond pulses as a tool to look inside individual IR- or UV-field cycles to better understand light-matter interactions. Time-resolved pump-probe experiments will be carried out on polyatomic molecules by detecting the energy and angular distribution of photoelectrons in a velocity-map imaging spectrometer. These experiments are expected to provide new insights
into the dynamics of multi-electron systems along with new results for the validation and
improvement of theoretical models. Multi-electron dynamics is indeed a very complex subject
on its own and even more so in the presence of strong laser fields. The proposed experiments
directly address theses challenges and are expected to provide new insights that will be beneficial to a wide range of scientific research areas."

Call for proposal

ERC-2012-StG_20111012
See other projects for this call

Host institution

EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH
EU contribution
€ 1 999 992,00
Address
Raemistrasse 101
8092 Zuerich
Switzerland

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Region
Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Zürich Zürich
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Hans Jakob Wörner (Prof.)
Principal investigator
Hans Jakob Wörner (Prof.)
Links
Total cost
No data

Beneficiaries (1)