Generation of intense attosecond pulses from solid surfaces

• Applicant: Dr. Alexander Tarasevitch
• Subject Area: Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
• Term: from 2011 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 191642088

The goal of the proposed research is to investigate the formation of attosecond (10-18 s) pulses in the VUV through the high order harmonic generation (HOHG) on solid surfaces by femtosecond laser pulses. Up to now the generation of sub-femtosecond pulses has been demonstrated using HOHG in gases where the maximum laser intensity is limited by the onset of ionization. When solids are used as targets a thin surface layer of dense plasma is formed during the laser-solid interaction. Such a plasma layer can withstand very high laser intensities extending well into the relativistic intensity regime. Consequently, much higher nonlinearities may be induced in plasmas. Orders of magnitude higher efficiency of HOHG and attosecond pulse production can be expected, which opens an exciting new territory in the field of ultrafast science. We propose new concepts to achieve attosecond pulse production from solids using femtosecond lasers with moderate energy. The control of the harmonic spectral slope and phases as well as relativistic amplification may allow very efficient attosecond pulse generation. Furthermore, appropriate methods of the measurement of the attosecond pulse duration will be developed.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Persons: Professor Dr. Uwe Bovensiepen; Professor Dr. Dietrich von der Linde (†)