Attosecond Coherent Control of Single and Double Photoionization in Argon

Phys Rev Lett. 2015 Oct 23;115(17):173004. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.173004. Epub 2015 Oct 22.

Abstract

Ultrafast high harmonic beams provide new opportunities for coherently controlling excitation and ionization processes in atoms, molecules, and materials on attosecond time scales by employing multiphoton two-pathway electron-wave-packet quantum interferences. Here we use spectrally tailored and frequency tuned vacuum and extreme ultraviolet harmonic combs, together with two phase-locked infrared laser fields, to show how the total single and double photoionization yields of argon can be coherently modulated by controlling the relative phases of both optical and electronic-wave-packet quantum interferences. This Letter is the first to apply quantum control techniques to double photoionization, which is a fundamental process where a single, high-energy photon ionizes two electrons simultaneously from an atom.