Lightwave-controlled relativistic plasma mirrors.

We report on attosecond-scale control of high-harmonic and fast electron emission from plasma mirrors driven by relativistic-intensity near-single-cycle light waves at a kHz repetition rate. By controlling the waveform of the intense light transient, we reproducibly form a sub-cycle temporal intensity gate at the plasma mirror surface, leading to the observation of extreme ultraviolet spectral continua, characteristic of isolated attosecond pulse (IAP) generation. We also observe the correlated emission of a waveform-dependent relativistic electron beam, paving the way toward fully lightwave-controlled dynamics of relativistic plasma mirrors.

High repetition rate relativistic laser-solid-plasma interaction platform featuring simultaneous particle and radiation detection.

We report on a uniquely designed high repetition rate relativistic laser-solid-plasma interaction platform, featuring the first simultaneous measurement of emitted high-order harmonics, relativistic electrons, and low divergence proton beams. This versatile setup enables detailed parametric studies of the particle and radiation spatio-spectral beam properties under a wide range of controlled interaction conditions, such as pulse duration and plasma density gradient. Its array of complementary diagnostics unlocks the potential to unravel interdependencies among the observables and should aid in further understanding the complex collective dynamics at play during laser-plasma interactions and in optimizing the secondary beam properties for applications.

Attosecond resolved electron release in two-color near-threshold photoionization of N2.

We have simulated two-color photoionization of N(2) by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation with a simple model accounting for the correlated vibronic dynamics of the molecule and of the ion N(2)(+). Our results, in very good agreement with recent experiments [Haessler et al., Phys. Rev. A 80, 011404 (2009)], show how a resonance embedded in the molecular continuum dramatically affects the phases of the two-photon transition amplitudes. In addition, we introduce a formal relation between these measurable phases and the photoelectron release time, opening the way to attosecond time-resolved measurements, equivalent to double-slit experiments in the time domain.

Relativistic-intensity near-single-cycle light waveforms at kHz repetition rate.

The development of ultra-intense and ultra-short light sources is currently a subject of intense research driven by the discovery of novel phenomena in the realm of relativistic optics, such as the production of ultrafast energetic particle and radiation beams for applications. It has been a long-standing challenge to unite two hitherto distinct classes of light sources: those achieving relativistic intensity and those with pulse durations approaching a single light cycle. While the former class traditionally involves large-scale amplification chains, the latter class places high demand on the spatiotemporal control of the electromagnetic laser field. Here, we present a light source producing waveform-controlled 1.5-cycle pulses with a 719 nm central wavelength that can be focused to relativistic intensity at a 1 kHz repetition rate based on nonlinear post-compression in a long hollow-core fiber. The unique capabilities of this source allow us to observe the first experimental indications of light waveform effects in laser wakefield acceleration of relativistic energy electrons.