Abstract
Electron motion on the (sub-)femtosecond time scale constitutes the fastest response in many natural phenomena such as light-induced phase transitions and chemical reactions. Whereas static electron densities in single molecules can be imaged in real space using scanning tunnelling and atomic force microscopy, probing real-time electron motion inside molecules requires ultrafast laser pulses. Here, we demonstrate an all-optical approach to imaging an ultrafast valence electron wave packet in real time with a time-resolution of a few femtoseconds. We employ a pump-probe-deflect scheme that allows us to prepare an ultrafast wave packet via strong-field ionization and directly image the resulting charge oscillations in the residual ion. This approach extends and overcomes limitations in laser-induced orbital imaging and may enable the real-time imaging of electron dynamics following photoionization such as charge migration and charge transfer processes.
Item Type: | Journal article |
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Faculties: | Physics |
Subjects: | 500 Science > 530 Physics |
URN: | urn:nbn:de:bvb:19-epub-82919-3 |
ISSN: | 2041-1723 |
Language: | English |
Item ID: | 82919 |
Date Deposited: | 15. Dec 2021, 15:04 |
Last Modified: | 27. Jan 2022, 07:22 |