Quantum Optics with Single Optical Cycles

近年来，技术已经发展到产生持续时间短于5飞秒的脉冲，从而在脉冲的全宽度半最大值中由少于两个光周期组成。这种脉冲通常被称为阿秒脉冲，产生这种脉冲的能力开创了阿秒科学的一个新领域。本实验研究计划将探索一种新的阿秒科学方法，并阐明阿秒物理学的一些重要问题。定制的单光周期将用于分析光电子能谱中的干涉现象。干涉图样与少周期脉冲的绝对相位的依赖关系将使推断电子跃迁的动力学成为可能。这项技术将利用碱原子进行开发，但也有望应用于分子。电子跃迁的动力学对分子反应有重要的影响。该计划的更广泛影响包括对学生的培训以及对其他领域的应用。

In recent years technologies have been developed to generate pulses shorter than five femtoseconds in duration, thus consisting of less than two optical cycles in full-width half-maximum of the pulse. Such pulses are generally referred to as attosecond pulses, and the ability to produce them has created a new field of attosecond science. The present experimental research program will investigate a new approach for attosecond science and clarify some important questions underlying attosecond physics. Tailored single optical cycles will be used for analyzing interference phenomena in photoelectron spectra. The dependence of the interference patterns on the absolute phase of the few-cycle pulses will make it possible to infer the dynamics of electronic transitions. The technique will be developed using alkali atoms, but is expected to be applicable to molecules, too. There the dynamics of electronic transitions has a major impact on molecular reactions. The broader impact of the program involves the training of students as well as applications to other fields.