Probing quantum superposition states with few-cycle laser pulses
The quantum dynamics of a two-level system illuminated by a few-cycle pulse with an adjustable carrierenvelope (C-E) phase is investigated theoretically. We consider the weak-field regime where tunneling processes and multiphoton ionization are negligible. It is shown that the upper state population...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Optical Society of American (OSA)
2009
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| Summary: | The quantum dynamics of a two-level system illuminated by a few-cycle pulse with an adjustable carrierenvelope (C-E) phase is investigated theoretically. We consider the weak-field regime where tunneling processes and multiphoton ionization are negligible. It is shown that the upper state population exhibits a strong dependence on the C-E phase and on the time of arrival of the few-cycle pulse if the system is initially prepared in a coherent superposition state. We demonstrate that this effect can be employed to probe the coherence properties of the superposition state and allows one to determine the phase of the laser that prepares this state. © 2009 Optical Society of America. |
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