MARCUS DAHLSTRÖM

As electrons are the fastest receptors of electromagnetic forces at our disposal, I ask the question how precise pulse characterization can be achieved when the burst duration is comparable, or even below, the natural electron time scale?

I will regard coherent bound electron wave packets in atoms as super-accurate clocks that allow for direct measurements of the temporal structure of extreme bursts of short-wavelength radiation. During this project, I wish to study both the physics and applications of bound electron wave packets in three main activities: [A] preparation and optimization of coherent electron wave packets, [B] photoionization dynamics and interferometry of correlated electron wave packets and [C] coherent wave packet dynamics in a macroscopic (complex) environment.

I will develop novel numerical tools for extreme light-matter interaction including the first relativistic time-dependent configuration-interaction-singles method and the first correlated atomic calculations coupled to macroscopic wave equations at short wavelengths.

A successful project will greatly enhance basic knowledge of extreme light-matter interaction on the attosecond time scale and yield increased precision in pulse characterization that will open up new possibilities in future high-gain experiments in physics, chemistry and material science, where pump-probe experiments at short wavelengths will become an important new research direction. The assessment of all attosecond effects and the transition towards single-shot pulse analysis, required for free-electron-laser pulses, is the grand motivation for this proposal.