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Now showing 1 - 10 of 23
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    Ultrafast Structural Changes in Chiral Molecules Measured with Free-Electron Lasers
    (Bristol : IOP Publ., 2020) Schmidt, P.; Music, V.; Hartmann, G.; Boll, R.; Erk, B.; Bari, S.; Allum, F.; Baumann, T.M.; Brenner, G.; Brouard, M.; Burt, M.; Coffee, R.; Dörner, S.; Galler, A.; Grychtol, P.; Heathcote, D.; Inhester, L.; Kazemi, M.; Larsson, M.; Li, Z.; Lutmann, A.; Manschwetus, B.; Marder, L.; Mason, R.; Moeller, S.; Osipov, T.; Otto, H.; Passow, C.; Rolles, D.; Rupprecht, P.; Schubert, K.; Schwob, L.; Thomas, R.; Vallance, C.; Von Korff Schmising, C.; Wagner, R.; Walter, P.; Wolf, T.J.A.; Zhaunerchyk, V.; Meyer, M.; Ehresmann, A.; Knie, A.; Demekhin, P.V.; Ilchen, M.
    (X-ray) free-electron lasers are employed to site specifically interrogate atomic fragments during ultra-fast photolysis of chiral molecules via time-resolved photoelectron circular dichroism. © 2020 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved.
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    Atomic processes in bicircular fields
    (Bristol : IOP Publ., 2016) Odžak, S.; Hasović, E.; Becker, W.; Milošević, D.B.
    We investigate laser-assisted electron-ion recombination (LAR), high-order harmonic generation (HHG) and above-threshold ionization (ATI) of argon atoms by a bicircular laser field, which consists of two coplanar counter-rotating circularly polarized fields of frequencies rω and sω. The energy of soft x rays generated in the LAR process is analyzed as a function of the incident electron angle and numerical results of direct recombination of electrons with Ar+ ions are presented. We also present the results of HHG by a bicircular field and confirm the selection rules derived earlier for inert-gas atoms in a p ground state. We show that the photoelectron spectra in the ATI process, presented in the momentum plane, as well as the LAR spectra exhibit the same discrete rotational symmetry as the applied field.
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    Photoelectron holography in strong optical and dc electric fields
    (Bristol : Institute of Physics Publishing, 2014) Stodolna, A.; Huismans, Y.; Rouzée, A.; Lépine, F.; Vrakking, M.J.J.
    The application of velocity map imaging for the detection of photoelectrons resulting from atomic or molecular ionization allows the observation of interferometric, and in some cases holographic structures that contain detailed information on the target from which the photoelecrons are extracted. In this contribution we present three recent examples of the use of photoelectron velocity map imaging in experiments where atoms are exposed to strong optical and dc electric fields. We discuss (i) observations of the nodal structure of Stark states of hydrogen measured in a dc electric field, (ii) mid-infrared strong-field ionization of metastable Xe atoms and (iii) the reconstruction of helium electronic wavepackets in an attosecond pump-probe experiment. In each case, the interference between direct and indirect electron pathways, reminiscent of the reference and signal waves in holography, is seen to play an important role.
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    Correlated electronic decay following intense near-infrared ionization of clusters
    (Bristol : IOP Publ., 2015) Schütte, Bernd; Arbeiter, Mathias; Fennel, Thomas; Jabbari, Ghazal; Kuleff, Alexander I.; Vrakking, Marc J. J.; Rouzée, Arnaud
    We report on a novel correlated electronic decay process following extensive Rydberg atom formation in clusters ionized by intense near-infrared fields. A peak close to the atomic ionization potential is found in the electron kinetic energy spectrum. This new contribution is attributed to an energy transfer between two electrons, where one electron decays from a Rydberg state to the ground state and transfers its excess energy to a weakly bound cluster electron in the environment that can escape from the cluster. The process is a result of nanoplasma formation and is therefore expected to be important, whenever intense laser pulses interact with nanometer-sized particles.
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    The role of the Kramers-Henneberger atom in the higher-order Kerr effect
    (Bristol : IOP, 2013) Richter, M.; Patchkovskii, S.; Morales, F.; Smirnova, O.; Ivanov, M.
    We discuss the connection between strong-field ionization, saturation of the Kerr response and the formation of the Kramers-Henneberger (KH) atom and long-living excitations in intense infrared (IR) external fields. We present a generalized model for the intensity-dependent response of atoms in strong IR laser fields, describing deviations in the nonlinear response at the frequency of the driving field from the standard model. We show that shaping the driving laser pulse allows one to reveal signatures of the excited KH states in the Kerr response of an individual atom.
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    Photon transport in one-dimensional systems coupled to three-level quantum impurities
    (Bristol : IOP, 2013) Martens, C.; Longo, P.; Busch, K.
    We discuss the transport properties of a single photon in a one-dimensional waveguide with an embedded three-level atom and utilize both stationary plane-wave solutions and time-dependent transport calculations to investigate the interaction of a photon with driven and undriven V- and Λ-systems. Specifically, for the case of an undriven V-system, we analyze the phenomenon of long-time occupation of the upper atomic levels in conjunction with almost dark states. For the undriven Λ-system, we find non-stationary dark states and we explain how the photon's transmittance can be controlled by an initial phase difference between the energetically lower-lying atomic states. With regard to the driven three-level systems, we discuss electromagnetically induced transparency in terms of the pulse propagation of a single photon through a Λ-type atom. In addition, we demonstrate how a driven V-type atom can be utilized to control the momentum distribution of the scattered photon.
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    Influence of 4f filling on electronic and magnetic properties of rare earth-Au surface compounds
    (Cambridge : RSC Publ., 2020) Fernandez, L.; Blanco-Rey, M.; Castrillo-Bodero, R.; Ilyn, M.; Ali, K.; Turco, E.; Corso, M.; Ormaza, M.; Gargiani, P.; Valbuena, M.A.; Mugarza, A.; Moras, P.; Sheverdyaeva, P.M.; Kundu, Asish K.; Jugovac, M.; Laubschat, C.; Ortega, J.E.; Schiller, F.
    One-atom-thick rare-earth/noble metal (RE-NM) compounds are attractive materials to investigate two-dimensional magnetism, since they are easy to synthesize into a common RE-NM2 structure with high crystal perfection. Here we perform a comparative study of the GdAu2, HoAu2, and YbAu2 monolayer compounds grown on Au(111). We find the same atomic lattice quality and moiré superlattice periodicity in the three cases, but different electronic properties and magnetism. The YbAu2 monolayer reveals the characteristic electronic signatures of a mixed-valence configuration in the Yb atom. In contrast, GdAu2 and HoAu2 show the trivalent character of the rare-earth and ferromagnetic transitions below 22 K. Yet, the GdAu2 monolayer has an in-plane magnetic easy-axis, versus the out-of-plane one in HoAu2. The electronic bands of the two trivalent compounds are very similar, while the divalent YbAu2 monolayer exhibits different band features. In the latter, a strong 4f-5d hybridization is manifested in neatly resolved avoided crossings near the Fermi level. First principles theory points to a residual presence of empty 4f states, explaining the fluctuating valence of Yb in the YbAu2 monolayer. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.
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    Coherent interaction of atoms with a beam of light confined in a light cage
    (London : Nature Publishing Group, 2021) Davidson-Marquis, Flavie; Gargiulo, Julian; Gómez-López, Esteban; Jang, Bumjoon; Kroh, Tim; Müller, Chris; Ziegler, Mario; Maier, Stefan A.; Kübler, Harald; Schmidt, Markus A.; Benson, Oliver
    Controlling coherent interaction between optical fields and quantum systems in scalable, integrated platforms is essential for quantum technologies. Miniaturised, warm alkali-vapour cells integrated with on-chip photonic devices represent an attractive system, in particular for delay or storage of a single-photon quantum state. Hollow-core fibres or planar waveguides are widely used to confine light over long distances enhancing light-matter interaction in atomic-vapour cells. However, they suffer from inefficient filling times, enhanced dephasing for atoms near the surfaces, and limited light-matter overlap. We report here on the observation of modified electromagnetically induced transparency for a non-diffractive beam of light in an on-chip, laterally-accessible hollow-core light cage. Atomic layer deposition of an alumina nanofilm onto the light-cage structure was utilised to precisely tune the high-transmission spectral region of the light-cage mode to the operation wavelength of the atomic transition, while additionally protecting the polymer against the corrosive alkali vapour. The experiments show strong, coherent light-matter coupling over lengths substantially exceeding the Rayleigh range. Additionally, the stable non-degrading performance and extreme versatility of the light cage provide an excellent basis for a manifold of quantum-storage and quantum-nonlinear applications, highlighting it as a compelling candidate for all-on-chip, integrable, low-cost, vapour-based photon delay.
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    Surface Energy and Boundary Layers for a Chain of Atoms at Low Temperature
    (Berlin ; Heidelberg : Springer, 2021) Jansen, Sabine; König, Wolfgang; Schmidt, Bernd; Theil, Florian
    We analyze the surface energy and boundary layers for a chain of atoms at low temperature for an interaction potential of Lennard–Jones type. The pressure (stress) is assumed to be small but positive and bounded away from zero, while the temperature β- 1 goes to zero. Our main results are: (1) As β→ ∞ at fixed positive pressure p> 0 , the Gibbs measures μβ and νβ for infinite chains and semi-infinite chains satisfy path large deviations principles. The rate functions are bulk and surface energy functionals E¯ bulk and E¯ surf. The minimizer of the surface functional corresponds to zero temperature boundary layers; (2) The surface correction to the Gibbs free energy converges to the zero temperature surface energy, characterized with the help of the minimum of E¯ surf; (3) The bulk Gibbs measure and Gibbs free energy can be approximated by their Gaussian counterparts; (4) Bounds on the decay of correlations are provided, some of them uniform in β. © 2020, The Author(s).
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    Non-instantaneous third-order optical response of gases in low-frequency fields
    (Washington, DC : Soc., 2022) Morales, Felipe; Richter, Maria; Ivanov, Misha; Husakou, Anton
    It is commonly assumed that for low-intensity short optical pulses far from resonance, the third-order optical nonlinear response is instantaneous. We solve the three-dimensional time-dependent Schrödinger equation for the hydrogen atom and show that this is not the case: the polarization is not simply proportional to the cube of the electric field even at low intensities. We analyze the fundamental-frequency and third-harmonic nonlinear susceptibilities of hydrogen, investigate their dependence on intensity, and find that the delays in the Kerr response rapidly approach the femtosecond time-scale at higher intensities, while the delays in the third harmonic generation remain much lower. We also propose an experimental scheme to detect and characterize the above effects.