Final Activity Report Summary - ADAM (Advancing attosecond metrology)
The researcher and his colleagues have been able to demonstrate for the first time advances as the following:
In the context of this project, we developed a method for generating ultrabroadband coherent light which is based on the self channelling of few cycle light pulses in highly pressurised noble gasses. This simple method has yielded for the first time light spectra that span the entire range from 250 nm to 1000 nm that is from the ultraviolet to the IR, with very high efficiency.
With this light we will be able in the future to generate waveforms of light capable to control the motion of electron in molecules and solids by exerting strong forces on a very short time scale.
Selecting only the ultraviolet part of this spectrum was the way to generate for the first time sub 4 femtosecond pulses in the ultraviolet. These pulse are to only to allow ultrafast electronic excitation of molecular systems
Another major achievement was the generation of isolated attosecond pulses in the sub 200 as at high energy and flux for the first time. (Published in Science). We further advanced this technology and recently we were able to break yet another barrier in ultrafast optics. The generation of sub 100 attosecond pulses. These pulses will permit for the first time real time tracing of the electron motion in atoms and molecules.