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Updated: May 22, 2026
08:22
Measurement of Ultrafast Vibrational Coherences in Polyatomic Radical Cations with Strong-Field Adiabatic Ionization
Published on: August 6, 2018
Real-time observation of interference between atomic one-electron and two-electron excitations
Henning Geiseler1, Horst Rottke, Nickolai Zhavoronkov
1Max-Born-Institut für Nichtlineare Optik und Kurzzeitspektroskopie, Max-Born-Straße 2 A, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
Physical Review Letters
|May 1, 2012
Summary
We tracked atomic two-electron dynamics in krypton using ultrashort pulses, observing interference between one- and two-electron excitation channels during autoionization. A simple model explains this complex wave packet evolution.
Area of Science:
- Atomic Physics
- Quantum Dynamics
- Ultrafast Spectroscopy
Background:
- Atomic autoionization involves electron emission from excited states.
- Fano resonances describe interference between discrete and continuum states.
- Understanding multi-electron dynamics is crucial for atomic physics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate real-time atomic two-electron dynamics.
- To probe the evolution of a transient wave packet in krypton.
- To analyze the interference between one- and two-electron excitation channels.
Main Methods:
- Excitation of a coherent superposition of two Fano resonances using a femtosecond extreme-ultraviolet pulse.
- Probing the wave packet evolution with a delayed infrared pulse.
- Real-time tracking of atomic dynamics.
Main Results:
- Observed the dynamical evolution of a transient wave packet in krypton.
- Gained access to the interference between one- and two-electron excitation channels.
- The wave packet's decay through autoionization was studied concurrently.
Conclusions:
- A simple model successfully accounts for the observed dynamical evolution.
- Demonstrated real-time tracking of complex multi-electron atomic processes.
- Provided insights into the interplay of electron correlation and autoionization.
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