Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Femtosecond (1 fs = 10^{-15} s) and attosecond (1 as = 10^{-18} s) light pulses are the shortest controllable events that have been developed. When applied to atoms, molecules, materials, and devices, these pulses can be used to control electronic processes on similarly short timescales. Achieving the ultimate speed limit of classical information processing would require electronic processes to be controlled on attosecond timescales in solid-state devices. The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to researchers who developed the tools to measure light-matter interaction on attosecond timescales. The absolute phase of each light pulse, also known as its carrier-envelope-phase offset, is a property of light that becomes very important in attosecond light matter interaction. Unfortunately, the pulses emitted from most laser systems have a randomly fluctuating phase, which severely limits how well these laser pulses can be used to understand light-matter interaction in these regimes and develop devices based on the observed effects. The phase-stabilized Albatross laser produced by Pulsed GmbH is one of the few laser oscillators in the world that provides pulses that are suitable for controlling and measuring attosecond processes in materials and devices. The phase stabilization module is the equipment that is sought through this grant. Using the phase-stabilization module, we will explore synergies between attosecond spectroscopy, structured light, and emerging materials. Early efforts will focus on developing new experimental tools that allow us to characterize the optical fields of the phase-stable laser pulses in both space and time. We will then aim to demonstrate and measure new classes of laser pulses that are coupled in space and time. Simultaneously the phase-stable laser pulses will be used to control and measure attosecond electronic processes in materials and devices, and to inject charge and spin currents into emerging semiconductors. Co-applicant Dr. Leach will focus on converting the spectrum of the pulses to longer wavelengths and applying the pulses to mid-infrared spectroscopy on metallic surfaces.