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A: Fachverband Atomphysik
A 32: Attosecond Physics III
A 32.1: Invited Talk
Thursday, March 5, 2009, 16:30–17:00, VMP 6 HS-E
"And, action!" - Video clips of electron motion in molecules — •Matthias Kling — Max-Planck Institut für Quantenoptik, Hans-Kopfermann-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
The control of the electric field waveform E(t)=E0(t)cos(ω t+φ), with envelope E0(t), frequency ω, by the carrier envelope phase (CEP) φ constitutes a new paradigm of coherent control. This control became accessible with CEP-stabilization and opened the door for the direct manipulation of electron dynamics in atomic and molecular systems [1]. For frequencies in the range of visible light the electric field waveform changes on an attosecond time-scale. Waveform controlled few-cycle pulses have been used to control electron localization in the dissociative ionization of the prototype molecules D2 and HD [2].
These experiments will be introduced together with recent efforts to record movies of the electron localization dynamics on attosecond timescales using attosecond XUV light pulses. The important question arises, whether the steering of electrons in more complex systems is feasible and — if yes — can we understand the role of the strong-field coupling of the various potential energy surfaces that follows an initial ionization / excitation and leads to the observed control? New results on the control of electron dynamics in a multi-electron molecule, carbon monoxide (CO), will be presented to shed light on these topics.
[1] Kling, M.F. and Vrakking, M.J.J., Annu.Rev.Phys.Chem. 59 (2008) 463.
[2] Kling, M.F. et al., Science 312 (2006) 246; Kling, M.F. et al., Mol.Phys. 106 (2008) 455.