The Strong Field Simulator: An Attosecond Study of Electron Recollision

Poster Division: Math and Physical Sciences: 2nd Place (The Ohio State University Edward F. Hayes Graduate Research Forum)When an atom or molecule is exposed to a strong alternating electric field, such as from a femtosecond pulsed laser, the electron can be tunnel ionized and subsequently driven back to the parent ion in a three-step process called electron recollision. We report on a novel attosecond study of electron recollision using sub-cycle XUV pulses to ionize noble gases dressed by an infrared field of sufficient intensity to drive recollision, this technique is dubbed the Strong Field Simulator. In this experiment, the XUV pulses serve to replace the ionization step while the infrared field still accelerates the electron and drives recollision. Isolating the ionization step from the other two, we can select the moment of ionization, and correspondingly the electron's quantum trajectory, opening new possibilities for studying electron recollision.No embarg