Uploaded January 2014 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
http://www.fom.nl/veldhoven Attoclock: shining new light on old questions in quantum mechanics
Novel time-resolved attosecond streaking techniques are currently being applied in an attempt to answer a very fundamental questions in quantum mechanics, such as how fast can light remove a bound electron from an atom or a solid? Furthermore, the question of how long a tunneling particle spends inside the barrier has remained unresolved since the early days of quantum mechanics. The main theoretical contenders, such as the Buttiker-Landauer, the Eisenbud-Wigner (also known as Wigner-Smith), and the Larmor time give different answers. Yet recent attempts at reconstructing valence electron dynamics in atoms and molecules have entered a regime where the tunneling time genuinely matters. We used the attoclock technique to measure the tunneling delay time in strong laser field ionization of helium and reveal a real and not instantaneous tunneling time. The matching theoretical model predicts a strong implications on the investigation of electron dynamics in attosecond science, because a significant delay must be taken into account about when the electron hole dynamics begin to evolve.
About the conference: Physics@FOM Veldhoven is a large congress that provides a topical overview of physics in the Netherlands. It is organised by the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM) and takes place each year in January. Traditionally, young researchers are given the chance to present themselves and their work alongside renowned names from the Dutch and international physics community. The programme covers Light and matter, Atomic, molecular and optical physics, Nanoscience and nanotechnology, Statistical physics and Soft condensed matter, Surfaces and interfaces, Physics of fluids, Subatomic physics, Plasma and fusion physics, and Strongly correlated systems.
http://www.fom.nl/veldhoven Attoclock: shining new light on old questions in quantum mechanics
Novel time-resolved attosecond streaking techniques are currently being applied in an attempt to answer a very fundamental questions in quantum mechanics, such as how fast can light remove a bound electron from an atom or a solid? Furthermore, the question of how long a tunneling particle spends inside the barrier has remained unresolved since the early days of quantum mechanics. The main theoretical contenders, such as the Buttiker-Landauer, the Eisenbud-Wigner (also known as Wigner-Smith), and the Larmor time give different answers. Yet recent attempts at reconstructing valence electron dynamics in atoms and molecules have entered a regime where the tunneling time genuinely matters. We used the attoclock technique to measure the tunneling delay time in strong laser field ionization of helium and reveal a real and not instantaneous tunneling time. The matching theoretical model predicts a strong implications on the investigation of electron dynamics in attosecond science, because a significant delay must be taken into account about when the electron hole dynamics begin to evolve.
About the conference: Physics@FOM Veldhoven is a large congress that provides a topical overview of physics in the Netherlands. It is organised by the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM) and takes place each year in January. Traditionally, young researchers are given the chance to present themselves and their work alongside renowned names from the Dutch and international physics community. The programme covers Light and matter, Atomic, molecular and optical physics, Nanoscience and nanotechnology, Statistical physics and Soft condensed matter, Surfaces and interfaces, Physics of fluids, Subatomic physics, Plasma and fusion physics, and Strongly correlated systems.
