Attosecond Electron Dynamics

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

In this project funded by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms program of the Chemistry Division, Professor Stephen Leone of the University of California at Berkeley will employ laser-produced soft x-ray attosecond pulses to measure attosecond chemical dynamics in atoms and small molecules. In a pump-probe configuration, one short pulse in the visible or ultraviolet will ionize or electronically excite an atom or molecule, and a second attosecond x-ray pulse will probe electronic state dynamics by transient absorption of the core level transitions accessible in specific atoms. Electronic timescales for wave-like propagation will be measured. The project will investigate high field ionization and non-Born-Oppenheimer effects. Broader impacts involve the education of students in the principles of x-ray detection for molecular dynamics, optics, and cutting-edge laser principles such as carrier-envelope phase stabilization.