Attosecond Phenomena

Electrons provide the screening to stabilize and bond molecules, and thus electronic redistribution initiates all chemical changes. In order to understand the earliest processes involved in chemical change, we attempt to track the evolution of electrons on their intrinsic timescales. Electrons move across a molecular bond in 0.1 to 1 femtosecond.

Ultrafast optical techniques are routinely used to interrogate chemical reactions on the timescale intrinsic to chemical change (i.e. the time scale for nuclear dynamics). These observations have given birth to the field of “femtochemistry.” But nuclear motion is rather slow compared to the rapid motion of electrons, which occurs on the attosecond timescale. The attosecond science group focuses on understanding electronic motion on its natural timescale. 

PULSE PEOPLE INVOLVED 

• Philip Bucksbaum

• James Cryan
  

• Shambhu Ghimire

• Matthias Kling

• Siqi Li

• Agostino Marinelli

• Todd Martinez

• Adi Natan

• David Reis