CAREER: Table-Top Attosecond-Pump Attosecond-Probe Spectroscopy

About This Grant

Quantum effects play a central role in modern technology. This project supports the development of new tools that will allow scientists to observe and control the quantum behavior of electrons on attosecond timescales—billionths of a billionth of a second—which is the shortest window that researchers are able to control currently. By using an advanced laser system to produce exceptionally bright attosecond-duration pulses, the research team will create a new experimental capability that can take “snapshots” of electrons as they move and interact inside atoms and molecules. This ability will provide a clearer view of the quantum processes that underlie chemical reactions, light-driven materials changes and future quantum technologies. The project will involve graduate and undergraduate students in cutting-edge laboratory research, and will integrate new discoveries into coursework and hands-on training. Outreach activities, including engagement with local schools and community groups, will help broaden participation in STEM and improve public understanding of how ultrafast quantum science benefits society. This project aims to establish a high-flux, attosecond-pump attosecond-probe spectroscopy platform based on an industrial-grade, high-repetition-rate Yb laser system coupled to an advanced high-harmonic beamline and electron–ion coincidence detection. The PI and the research team will pursue three major objectives: (1) construct and characterize a compact, bright attosecond-pump attosecond-probe beamline capable of delivering isolated attosecond pulses with sufficient photon flux; (2) measure real-time electron–electron correlation dynamics in atoms; and (3) investigate coupled electronic–nuclear motion in molecular photodissociation to reveal the earliest steps of ultrafast charge migration. The platform developed through this work will enable time-resolved measurements of correlated electronic motion without perturbation from strong infrared fields, addressing long-standing challenges in attosecond science. The results are expected to advance AMO physics, benchmark many-body quantum theories, and provide new tools relevant to chemical physics, photonics, and ultrafast materials research. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.