Strong-field quantum control in the extreme ultraviolet domain using pulse shaping

Area of Science:

• Quantum Optics and Strong-Field Physics
• Ultrafast Science and Attosecond Technology
• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical (AMO) Physics

Background:

• Strong light-matter interactions are crucial for controlling quantum systems, with applications in quantum information and photochemistry.
• While strong interactions are common at long wavelengths, achieving them at short wavelengths (extreme ultraviolet/X-ray) to probe multi-electron and inner-shell states is recent.
• Quantum control of short-wavelength strong-field processes has been hindered by the lack of pulse-shaping technologies in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) and X-ray domains.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate strong-field quantum control of ultrafast dynamics at short wavelengths.
• To overcome the limitations of pulse-shaping technologies in the XUV and X-ray regimes.
• To achieve high-fidelity control over Rabi dynamics and ionization processes in atoms.

Main Methods:

• Utilized pulse shaping of the seeded free-electron laser (FEL) FERMI.
• Investigated ultrafast Rabi dynamics in helium atoms.
• Exploited the dressing of the ionization continuum for control.

Main Results:

• Achieved high-fidelity strong-field quantum control of ultrafast Rabi dynamics in helium.
• Revealed a strong dressing of the ionization continuum, previously unobserved.
• Demonstrated control over the total ionization rate.

Conclusions:

• The developed pulse-shaping technique enables quantum control of strong-field processes at short wavelengths.
• This method provides a means to control atomic ionization rates and offers insights into continuum dressing.
• Opens new possibilities for real-time manipulation of core electron processes and electron correlation phenomena using intense XUV and soft X-ray sources.