Gianfranco Orlando

Generation of isolated attosecond pulses using unipolar and laser fields

A new scheme to generate isolated attosecond pulses is presented that involves the use of a laser field and of a unipolar field. The laser field has a pulse of intensity I = 1.5×1014 W cm−2 and wavelength λ = 820 nm. The unipolar pulse is an asymmetric pulse consisting of a sharp peak, lasting approximately half a laser period, i.e. nearly 1.4 fs, followed by a long and shallow tail. We show that on combining these two fields, it is possible to generate isolated attosecond pulses as short as 1/10 of a laser period, i.e. approximately 270 as. Moreover, it is argued that this scheme is robust either against small variations of the laser envelope, or against small changes in the delay between the laser pump and the unipolar pulse.

A paradigm of fullerene

We study the dynamics of an electron constrained over the surface of a rigid sphere, with geometrical parameters similar to those of the C60 fullerene, embedded in a low intensity linearly polarized laser field. The model is shown to emit odd harmonics of the laser even at very low field intensity. For more intense laser fields, the spectrum presents odd harmonics and hyper-Raman lines shaped in a broad plateau. The spectrum of the model is compared to that theoretically obtained by other authors for more realistic models of C60. It is concluded that the model can be used as a paradigm for mesoscopic molecules in the fullerene family, particularly in practical applications where it is convenient to have a simple model of fullerene molecules. It is also concluded that the model is an example lending support to the concept of universality introduced by other authors some time ago.

A three-colour scheme to generate isolated attosecond pulses

We propose a new scheme to produce isolated attosecond pulses, involving the use of three laser pulses: a fundamental laser field of intensity I = 3.5 × 1014 W cm−2 and of wavelength λ = 820 nm, and two properly chosen weak lasers with wavelengths 1.5λ and 0.5λ. The three lasers have a Gaussian envelope of 36 fs full width at half maximum. The resulting total field is an asymmetric electric field with an isolated peak. We show that a model atom, interacting with the above-defined total field, generates an isolated attosecond pulse as short as 1/10 of a laser period, i.e. approximately 270 as.

Even harmonics from laser driven homonuclear molecules

The dynamics of a homonuclear diatomic molecule driven by a laser pulse is obtained beyond the fixed nuclei approximation. Laser parameters can be adjusted to confine the electron over one of the two nuclei for a relatively long time or not. A time-resolved analysis of the electromagnetic spectrum emitted by the molecule presents the usual odd harmonics far from confinement and even harmonics during the confinement periods. A physical interpretation of the results is given.

Nuclear molecular dynamics investigated by using high-order harmonic generation spectra

In this paper we show how it is possible to investigate the nuclear dynamics of simple molecular ions and molecules by looking at the high-order harmonic generation spectra they emit in the presence of a laser field. In particular we investigate two different effects: the presence of sidebands in the emitted spectra around the usual odd harmonics and an isotopic effect which affects the height of the plateau lines. We further study the advantages and the limitations of the semiclassical approach.

Control of the high harmonic generation spectra by changing the molecule-laser field relative orientation

The time dependent Schrodinger equation of a homonuclear diatomic molecule in the presence of a linearly polarized laser field is numerically solved by means of a split-operator parallel code. The calculations are carried out by assuming a single active electron model with fixed nuclei; a simplified two-dimensional model of the system is used. The highly nonlinear response of the electron wave function to the laser electric field stimulates the molecule to emit electromagnetic radiation consisting of a wide plateau of odd harmonics of the laser field. It is shown that the emitted spectrum can be finely controlled by changing the angle between the laser electric field and the molecular axis; this can be used to achieve a tunable source of high frequency radiation.

Use of three detuned lasers to generate isolated attosecond pulses

The dynamics of a one-dimensional atom driven by three-laser fields is investigated. The total electric field is made up of a fundamental laser field of intensity  W cm−2 and wavelength λ = 820 nm and two weak lasers with larger wavelengths. The intensity of the two weak fields is with k = 0.25. The frequencies of the weak fields are and , with and . The three lasers have a Gaussian envelope of 72 fs FWHM. It is shown, by numerical computation and using the semiclassical theory of high-harmonic generation, that the atom interacting with this combined field is able to emit an isolated attosecond burst of radiation.

Bremsstrahlung from a repulsive potential: attosecond pulse generation

The collision of an electron against a repulsive potential in the presence of a laser field is investigated. It is found that a sufficiently strong laser field forces the electron to remain in the neighbourhood of the repulsive potential causing bremsstrahlung. By appropriately filtering the emitted signal, an electron in the presence of a repulsive potential is capable of generating attosecond pulses.

Control of Electron Motion in a Molecular Ion: Dynamical Creation of a Permanent Electric Dipole

The dynamics of a diatomic one-dimensional homonuclear molecule driven by a two-laser field is investigated beyond the usual fixed nuclei approximation. The dynamics of the nuclei is treated by means of Newton equations of motion; the full quantum description is used for the single active electron. The first laser pulse (pump) excites vibrations of the nuclei, while the second very short pulse (probe) has the role of confining the electron around one of the nuclei. We show how to use the radiation scattered in these conditions by the molecule to achieve real-time control of the molecular dynamics.

Piecewise static Hamiltonian for an atom in a strong laser field

We show that it is possible to use a piecewise constant Hamiltonian to describe the main features of the dynamics of an atom interacting with a laser field. In particular we show that using this approximation we are able to give a good description of the ionization signal, of the HHG spectra and of the attosecond pulses generated by the radiating electron. Finally, we give an explicit formula to evaluate the ionization rate in the time dependent laser field. This formula, which is a generalization of the Landau formula for the ionization rate of an atom in a static electric field, fairly well reproduces the numerical ionization rates for a broad range of laser frequency and intensity. The main advantage of this formula is that it can be used well beyond the limits of the quasi-static formula for the ionization rate of an atom.