Abstract
Recent developments in laser sources allow one to shape the precise electric-field waveform oscillation at the subcycle level. These waveforms may then be used to drive and control ultrafast nonlinear phenomena at the attosecond timescale. By utilizing numerical solutions of time-dependent Schrödinger equations and exact solutions of a simple quantum-mechanical system, we show that an atom driven by such sources exhibit coherent history-dependent effects. These manifest themselves in "macroscopic" quantities such as the yield in multicolor, strong-field ionization. We argue that weakly bound, metastable electronic states may enable the dependence on the system history even in long-duration, relatively weak driving waveforms.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 033414 |
Journal | Physical Review A |
Volume | 90 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 15 Sept 2014 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics