Strong-Field Physics with Mid-IR Fields

Strong-field physics is currently experiencing a shift towards the use of mid-IR driving wavelengths. This is because they permit conducting experiments unambiguously in the quasistatic regime and enable exploiting the effects related to ponderomotive scaling of electron recollisions. Initial measur...

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Main Authors: Benjamin Wolter, Michael G. Pullen, Matthias Baudisch, Michele Sclafani, Michaël Hemmer, Arne Senftleben, Claus Dieter Schröter, Joachim Ullrich, Robert Moshammer, Jens Biegert
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Physical Society 2015-06-01
Series:Physical Review X
Online Access:http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.5.021034
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author Benjamin Wolter
Michael G. Pullen
Matthias Baudisch
Michele Sclafani
Michaël Hemmer
Arne Senftleben
Claus Dieter Schröter
Joachim Ullrich
Robert Moshammer
Jens Biegert
author_facet Benjamin Wolter
Michael G. Pullen
Matthias Baudisch
Michele Sclafani
Michaël Hemmer
Arne Senftleben
Claus Dieter Schröter
Joachim Ullrich
Robert Moshammer
Jens Biegert
author_sort Benjamin Wolter
collection DOAJ
description Strong-field physics is currently experiencing a shift towards the use of mid-IR driving wavelengths. This is because they permit conducting experiments unambiguously in the quasistatic regime and enable exploiting the effects related to ponderomotive scaling of electron recollisions. Initial measurements taken in the mid-IR immediately led to a deeper understanding of photoionization and allowed a discrimination among different theoretical models. Ponderomotive scaling of rescattering has enabled new avenues towards time-resolved probing of molecular structure. Essential for this paradigm shift was the convergence of two experimental tools: (1) intense mid-IR sources that can create high-energy photons and electrons while operating within the quasistatic regime and (2) detection systems that can detect the generated high-energy particles and image the entire momentum space of the interaction in full coincidence. Here, we present a unique combination of these two essential ingredients, namely, a 160-kHz mid-IR source and a reaction microscope detection system, to present an experimental methodology that provides an unprecedented three-dimensional view of strong-field interactions. The system is capable of generating and detecting electron energies that span a 6 order of magnitude dynamic range. We demonstrate the versatility of the system by investigating electron recollisions, the core process that drives strong-field phenomena, at both low (meV) and high (hundreds of eV) energies. The low-energy region is used to investigate recently discovered low-energy structures, while the high-energy electrons are used to probe atomic structure via laser-induced electron diffraction. Moreover, we present, for the first time, the correlated momentum distribution of electrons from nonsequential double ionization driven by mid-IR pulses.
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spelling doaj.art-34334a7f1deb449c98e0cc4badab07662022-12-21T23:11:32ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review X2160-33082015-06-015202103410.1103/PhysRevX.5.021034Strong-Field Physics with Mid-IR FieldsBenjamin WolterMichael G. PullenMatthias BaudischMichele SclafaniMichaël HemmerArne SenftlebenClaus Dieter SchröterJoachim UllrichRobert MoshammerJens BiegertStrong-field physics is currently experiencing a shift towards the use of mid-IR driving wavelengths. This is because they permit conducting experiments unambiguously in the quasistatic regime and enable exploiting the effects related to ponderomotive scaling of electron recollisions. Initial measurements taken in the mid-IR immediately led to a deeper understanding of photoionization and allowed a discrimination among different theoretical models. Ponderomotive scaling of rescattering has enabled new avenues towards time-resolved probing of molecular structure. Essential for this paradigm shift was the convergence of two experimental tools: (1) intense mid-IR sources that can create high-energy photons and electrons while operating within the quasistatic regime and (2) detection systems that can detect the generated high-energy particles and image the entire momentum space of the interaction in full coincidence. Here, we present a unique combination of these two essential ingredients, namely, a 160-kHz mid-IR source and a reaction microscope detection system, to present an experimental methodology that provides an unprecedented three-dimensional view of strong-field interactions. The system is capable of generating and detecting electron energies that span a 6 order of magnitude dynamic range. We demonstrate the versatility of the system by investigating electron recollisions, the core process that drives strong-field phenomena, at both low (meV) and high (hundreds of eV) energies. The low-energy region is used to investigate recently discovered low-energy structures, while the high-energy electrons are used to probe atomic structure via laser-induced electron diffraction. Moreover, we present, for the first time, the correlated momentum distribution of electrons from nonsequential double ionization driven by mid-IR pulses.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.5.021034
spellingShingle Benjamin Wolter
Michael G. Pullen
Matthias Baudisch
Michele Sclafani
Michaël Hemmer
Arne Senftleben
Claus Dieter Schröter
Joachim Ullrich
Robert Moshammer
Jens Biegert
Strong-Field Physics with Mid-IR Fields
Physical Review X
title Strong-Field Physics with Mid-IR Fields
title_full Strong-Field Physics with Mid-IR Fields
title_fullStr Strong-Field Physics with Mid-IR Fields
title_full_unstemmed Strong-Field Physics with Mid-IR Fields
title_short Strong-Field Physics with Mid-IR Fields
title_sort strong field physics with mid ir fields
url http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.5.021034
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