Transporting Rydberg electron wave packets with chirped trains of pulses

A protocol for steering Rydberg electrons towards targeted final states is realized with the aid of a chirped train of half-cycle pulses (HCPs). Its novel capabilities are demonstrated experimentally by transporting potassium atoms excited to the lowest-lying quasi-one-dimensional states in the n(i)=350 Stark manifold to a narrow range of much higher-n states. We demonstrate that this coherent state transfer is, to a high degree, reversible. The protocol allows for remarkable selectivity and is highly efficient, with typically over 80% of the parent atoms surviving the HCP sequence.     

Formation of ground-state vibrational wave packets in intense ultrashort laser pulses

The formation of coherent vibrational wave packets in the electronic ground state of neutral molecules in intense ultrashort laser pulses and their subsequent detection by means of recently developed pump-probe experiments are discussed. The wave packet formation is due to the pronounced dependence of the strong-field ionization rate on the internuclear distance. This leads to a deformation of the initial wave function due to an internuclear-distance dependent depletion. The phenomenon is demonstrated with a time-dependent wave packet study for molecular hydrogen.     

Quantum-phase resolved mapping of ground-state vibrational D2 wave packets via selective depletion in intense laser pulses

Applying 7 fs pump-probe pulses (780 nm, 4 x 10(14) W/cm2) we observe electronic ground-state vibrational wave packets in neutral D2 with a period of T=11.101(70) fs by following the internuclear separation (R-)dependent ionization with a sensitivity of Delta相似文献   

Invariants of the dynamics of molecular vibrational wave packets in phase modulation

An exact analytic solution was obtained for the correlation function of the motion of a phase-modulated Gauss wave packet in an anharmonic potential. The solution is expressed through the theta-function with the parameters depending on both the potential and phase modulation of the initial wave packet. Changes in both linear and quadratic chirps result in an invariant correlation function time shift in a weakly anharmonic potential with the conservation of all the total and fractional revivals. At a strong potential anharmonicity, translational invariance with respect to a quadratic chirp is preserved in certain instances, whereas the dynamics of packets experiences qualitative changes depending on linear phase modulation. This approach can be used to qualitatively analyze intramolecular dynamics if the potential energy surface is not known exactly, which is especially useful for quantum control of large molecules, in particular, photochromes.     

Conservation of molecular alignment for cyclic rotational wave packets in periodic pulse trains

The existence of states for which molecular alignment can be maintained for long periods of time is shown. These states, consisting of coherent superpositions of rotational states, are found among cyclic states of the generalized Floquet operator corresponding to a molecule in a short nonresonant laser pulse. For a single pulse alignment can be maintained, in some cases, for more than 40 times the pulse duration. Because of the special properties of these coherent states, arbitrarily long alignment can be achieved by using well-timed pulse trains.     

Spatial control of recollision wave packets with attosecond precision

We propose orthogonally polarized two-color laser pulses to steer tunneling electrons with attosecond precision around the ion core. We numerically demonstrate that the angles of birth and recollision, the recollision energy, and the temporal structure of the recolliding wave packet can be controlled without stabilization of the carrier-envelope phase of the laser, and that the wave packet's properties can be described by classical relations for a point charge. This establishes unique mapping between parameters of the laser field and attributes of the recolliding wave packet. The method is capable of probing ionic wave packet dynamics with attosecond resolution from an adjustable direction and might be used as an alternative to aligning molecules. Shaping the properties of the recollision wave packet by controlling the laser field may also provide new routes for improvement of attosecond pulse generation via high harmonic radiation.     

Phase control of rotational wave packets and quantum information

Lasers can create rotational wave packets in gas-phase molecules which periodically revive as field-free, aligned distributions. We control the wave packet evolution with relatively weak laser pulses at fractional revivals which modify the phase between wave packet components. We demonstrate two phase control effects in oxygen: coherently switching revivals off and on, and doubling the revival frequency. When viewed as a quantum logic system, these effects correspond to a Hadamard and a T operation.     

Holography of wave packets

We describe the principles of holographic storage and reconstruction of ultrashort light pulses using spectrally nonselective media. This can be achieved by the application of a 3-D recording medium and by the holography of waves produced by spatial spectral decomposition of light pulses. We also describe various transformations of optical temporal signals based on holographic spectral filtering and nonlinear interaction of spectral decomposition waves.     

On the theory of wave packets

In this paper we discuss some aspects of the theory of wave packets. We consider a popular noncovariant Gaussian model used in various applications and show that it predicts too slow a longitudinal dispersion rate for relativistic particles. We revise this approach by considering a covariant model of Gaussian wave packets, and examine our results by inspecting a wave packet of arbitrary form. A general formula for the time dependence of the dispersion of a wave packet of arbitrary form is found. Finally, we give a transparent interpretation of the disappearance of the wave function over time due to the dispersion—a feature often considered undesirable, but which is unavoidable for wave packets. We find, starting from simple examples, proceeding with their generalizations and finally by considering the continuity equation, that the integral over time of both the flux and probability densities are asymptotically proportional to the factor 1/|x|² in the rest frame of the wave packet, just as in the case of an ensemble of classical particles.     

Switched wave packets: a route to nonperturbative quantum control

The dynamic Stark effect due to a strong nonresonant but nonionizing laser field provides a route to quantum control via the creation of novel superposition states. We consider the creation of a field-free "switched" wave packet through adiabatic turn-on and sudden turn-off of a strong dynamic Stark interaction. There are two limiting cases for such wave packets. The first is a Raman-type coupling, illustrated by the creation of field-free molecular axis alignment. An experimental demonstration is given. The second case is that of dipole-type coupling, illustrated by the creation of charge localization in an array of quantum wells.     

Imaging and control of interfering wave packets in a dissociating molecule

Using two identical 110 femtosecond (fs) optical pulses separated by 310 fs, we launch two dissociative wave packets in I2. We measure the square of the wave function as a function of both the internuclear separation, /Psi(R)/(2), and of the internuclear velocity, /Psi(v(R))/(2), by ionizing the dissociating molecule with an intense 20 fs probe pulse. Strong interference is observed in both /Psi(R)/(2) and in /Psi(v(R))/(2). The interference, and therefore the shape of the wave function, is controlled through the phase difference between the two dissociation pulses in good agreement with calculations.     

Interference of dissociating wave packets in the I2 molecule driven by femtosecond laser pulses

The interference between two dissociating wave packets of the I2 molecule driven by femtosecond laser pulses is theoretically studied by using the time-dependent quantum wave packet method.Both the internuclear distanceand velocity-dependent density functions are calculated and discussed.It is demonstrated that the interference pattern is determined by the phase difference and the delay time between two pump pulses.With two identical pulses with a delay time of 305 fs and a FWHM of 20 fs,more interference fringes can be observed,while with two pump pulses with a delay time of 80 fs and a FWHM of 20 fs,only a few interference fringes can be observed.     

Optical wave breaking of high-intensity femtosecond pulses in silicon optical waveguides

We have investigated numerically the propagation of high-intensity femtosecond optical pulses with pulsewidth of 100 fs (half width at 1/e maximum) on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) optical waveguide when the central wavelength of the pulse locates in the normal dispersion region. Results show that the combined effects of group-velocity dispersion (GVD), third-order dispersion (TOD), self-phase modulation (SPM), and free-carrier dispersion (FCD) can lead to the phenomenon of optical wave breaking that manifests as an asymmetric profile and oscillation near the trailing edge of the pulse. Moreover, the optical wave breaking will be experienced from generation to disappearance during propagation.