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Attosecond Generation and High Field Physics

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Ultrafast Nonlinear Optics

Part of the book series: Scottish Graduate Series ((SGS))

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Abstract

Attosecond physics is concerned with the dynamics of electrons in atoms and molecules. Resolving and controlling their motion during excitation and relaxation processes in matter is an essential contribution our understanding of atomic scale processes. This chapter presents a general introduction to the key aspects of attosecond measurement technology and the associated strong laser field physics that underlie most of it. In this context High Harmonic Generation (HHG) is one of the most intensely studied phenomena and its use for attosecond pulse generation and HHG spectroscopy of molecules are discussed. Here, the attosecond streaking technique and its use for attosecond pulse and electron dynamics measurement is outlined briefly. In addition, other routes to attosecond sources such as Raman processes, relativistic HHG and free electron lasers are also introduced and compared.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, London, South Kensington, SW7 2AZ, UK

    Jon P. Marangos & Malte Oppermann

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  1. Jon P. Marangos
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  2. Malte Oppermann
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Correspondence to Jon P. Marangos .

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  1. Heriot-Watt University, David Brewster building, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, United Kingdom

    Robert Thomson

  2. Heriot-Watt University, David Brewster building, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, United Kingdom

    Christopher Leburn

  3. Heriot-Watt University, David Brewster Building, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, United Kingdom

    Derryck Reid

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Marangos, J.P., Oppermann, M. (2013). Attosecond Generation and High Field Physics. In: Thomson, R., Leburn, C., Reid, D. (eds) Ultrafast Nonlinear Optics. Scottish Graduate Series. Springer, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00017-6_3

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