Selectivity of Electronic Coherence and Attosecond Ionization Delays in Strong-Field Double Ionization

Journal Article · 03 June 2018 · Physical Review Letters

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.120.233201 · OSTI ID:1580271

Kobayashi, Yuki ^[1]; Reduzzi, Maurizio ^[1]; Chang, Kristina F. ^[1]; Timmers, Henry ^[1]; Neumark, Daniel M. ^[2]; Leone, Stephen R. ^[2]

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1. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
2. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Experiments are presented on real-time probing of coherent electron dynamics in xenon initiated by strong-field double ionization. Attosecond transient absorption measurements allow for characterization of electronic coherences as well as relative ionization timings in multiple electronic states of $$Xe^{+}$$ and Xe$$^{2+}$$. A high degree of coherence g=0.4 is observed between $$^{3}P_{2}^{0}-^{3}P_{0}^{0}$$ of $$Xe^{2+}$$, whereas for other possible pairs of states the coherences are below the detection limits of the experiments. A comparison of the experimental results with numerical simulations based on an uncorrelated electron-emission model shows that the coherences produced by strong-field double ionization are more selective than predicted. Surprisingly short ionization time delays, 0.85 fs, 0.64 fs, and 0.75 fs relative to $$Xe^{+}$$ formation, are also measured for the $$^{3}P_{2}$$, $$^{3}P_{0}$$, and $$^{3}P_{1}$$ states of Xe$$^{2+}$$, respectively. Both the unpredicted selectivity in the formation of coherence and the subfemtosecond time delays of specific states provide new insight into correlated electron dynamics in strong-field double ionization.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 1580271
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 23 Vol. 120; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English