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Journal of Optics B Quantum and Semiclassical Optics

Strong field quantum control by selective population of dressed states

M. Wollenhaupt, A. Präkelt, Cristian Sarpe, D. Liese, Thomas Baumert

Published Sep 15, 2005• 70 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We study the dynamics of potassium atoms in intense laser fields using femtosecond phase-locked pulse pairs in order to extract physical mechanisms of strong field quantum control. The structure of the Autler–Townes (AT) doublet in the photoelectron spectra is measured to analyse transient processes. The analysis shows that the physical mechanism is based on the selective population of dressed states (SPODS). Experimental results of closed loop optimization of SPODS are presented in addition. Applications to decoherence measurements with implications for quantum information are also proposed.

DOI
10.1088/1464-4266/7/10/010

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We study the dynamics of potassium atoms in intense laser fields using femtosecond phase-locked pulse pairs in order to extract physical mechanisms of strong field quantum control. The structure of the Autler–Townes (AT) doublet in the photoelectron spectra is measured to analyse transient processes. The analysis shows that the physical mechanism is based on the selective population of dressed states (SPODS). Experimental results of closed loop optimization of SPODS are presented in addition. Applications to decoherence measurements with implications for quantum information are also proposed.
We report on a physical mechanism of coherent control with intense shaped femtosecond laser pulses. We study photoelectron spectra from multi-photon ionization of potassium atoms and dimers using tailored femtosecond laser pulses. Our results are interpreted in terms of Selective Population of Dressed States (SPODS). Two realizations of SPODS by Photon Locking (PL) via pulse sequences and Rapid Adiabatic Passage (RAP) via chirped pulses are discussed. New physical mechanisms arise, when both PL and RAP are at play simultaneously. Control by the combined effect of PL and RAP is studied by mapping out a two-parameter Quantum Control Landscape (QCL) for selective population of dressed states.
The resonant dynamic Stark effect, observed in the Autler-Townes (AT) splitting, plays a central role in ultrafast strong-field physics. Recent experiments have demonstrated the phase control of the AT doublet in atomic resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization using intense resonant shaped femtosecond laser pulses [Bayer et al., Adv. Chem. Phys. 159, 235 (2016)]. Based on a two-state model, we showed that the underlying control mechanism is the selective population of dressed states (SPODS). In this work, we use a numerical model to calculate the photoelectron momentum distribution (PMD) based on the ab initio solution of the two-dimensional (2D) time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation (TDSE) to obtain a more complete physical picture of the nonperturbative control of the AT doublet. The 2D-TDSE model reproduces the ultrafast switching among the AT components while also revealing deviations from the signatures predicted by the two-state model. These deviations are attributed to the influence of additional intermediate states. To rationalize our observations, we propose a refined five-state model that includes all significantly populated bound states from the full calculation and accurately reproduces the 2D PMD. Based on the validated five-state model, we conduct a dressed-state analysis which provides a clear physical picture of the SPODS mechanism in a multistate system and sheds light on the role of the intermediate states in strong-field control.
We report on physical mechanisms behind resonant strong-field coherent control. To this end, we study multi-photon ionization of potassium atoms using intense shaped femtosecond laser pulses. The measured photoelectron spectra are discussed in terms of selective population of dressed states (SPODS). A physically motivated pulse parameterization is introduced which opens up two-dimensional parameter spaces comprising pulse sequences as well as chirped pulses. The control topologies of these subspaces are mapped out experimentally and are presented in the form of strong-field control landscapes (SFCLs). In the SFCLs, complementary realizations of SPODS via photon locking and rapid adiabatic passage are observed. Moreover, the combined effect, termed Multi-RAP, arises when both mechanisms are at play simultaneously. In order to better understand the performance of adaptive optimization procedures, we experimentally study their capability to find optimal solutions on a given parameter space. The evolution of different optimization procedures is visualized by means of control trajectories on the surface of the measured SFCL.
Abstract We investigated the Autler–Townes splitting in photoelectron spectra of molecules steered by ultrashort laser pulses using the time-dependent wave-packet method. Structure of the Autler–Townes splitting was presented to analyze the information of a selective population of the dressed states. It was found that population transfer process, structure of photoelectron spectrum and pattern of Autler–Townes splitting can be controlled by adjusting the intensity, wavelength and delay time of laser pulses.
Coherent control beyond population control and spectral interferences is demonstrated on the interferences and intensity of the two Autler-Townes (AT) components in the photoelectron spectrum of K atoms, using a sequence of two intense time-delayed femtosecond laser pulses. Photoelectron spectra were taken at various delay times between the two laser pulses and at different laser intensities at a fixed delay time. With respect to the interferences in the AT doublet the role of time delay and laser intensity is interchangeable for $(n+0.5)\ensuremath{\pi}$ excitation. Strong laser fields or the optical phase of the delayed laser pulse allow the quantum mechanical phase of an atomic state to be manipulated in a symmetrical fashion. The observations are discussed in terms of a two-level model coupled to the continuum. For suitable combinations of the laser intensity of the first pulse and the time delay, the second laser pulse leaves the excited state population unchanged.