Attosecond probe of valence-electron wave packets by subcycle sculpted laser fields

Phys Rev Lett. 2012 May 11;108(19):193004. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.193004. Epub 2012 May 9.

Abstract

We experimentally and theoretically demonstrate a self-referenced wave-function retrieval of a valence-electron wave packet during its creation by strong-field ionization with a sculpted laser field. Key is the control over interferences arising at different time scales. Our work shows that the measurement of subcycle electron wave-packet interference patterns can serve as a tool to retrieve the structure and dynamics of the valence-electron cloud in atoms on a sub-10-as time scale.