Quantum photonics, an authentic concept for attosecond optics

Dong Hyuk Ko, P. B. Corkum

Matan Even Tzur, Chen Mor, Noa Yaffe +10 more

Until recently, attosecond optical spectroscopy and quantum optics evolved along non-overlapping directions. In attosecond science, attosecond pulses have been regarded as classical waves, applied to probe electron dynamics on their natural time scale. Here, we transfer fundamental concepts of quantum optics into attosecond physics, enabling control of both the properties of the XUV attosecond pulses and the quantum fluctuations of matter on attosecond time scales. By combining bright squeezed vacuum (BSV) with a strong laser field to drive high-harmonic generation, we transfer the quantum properties of the BSV onto the resulting XUV attosecond pulses. Applying advanced attosecond interferometry, we reconstruct the quantum state of the XUV high harmonics and their associated attosecond pulses with attosecond precision. Finally, we resolve the squeezing of the electron's wavepacket during one of the most fundamental strong-field phenomena - field induced tunneling. The ability to measure and control quantum correlations in both electrons and XUV attosecond pulses establishes a foundation for attosecond quantum electrodynamics, manipulating the quantum state of electrons and photons with sub-cycle precision.

Mohamed Benyoucef

Javier Rivera-Dean, Lidija Petrovic, Maciej Lewenstein +1 more

In this work, we explore the scheme of attosecond quantum interferometry (AQI), the quantum optical version of classical attosecond interferometry, which allows to measure quantum optical properties on the attosecond time-scale. We develop how the scheme of AQI can be used for engineering the phase-space and photon statistics properties of the emitted harmonics, using the relative phase of a two-color driving field as a control, and further enables to manipulate the field correlations as well as their entanglement characteristics. In addition, this scheme allows us to learn properties of the phase-space distribution of the harmonic quantum state, by means of measuring an attosecond quantum tomography trace. This serves as a new type of protocol for in situ attosecond measurements of quantum optical observables. With this, we achieve to further connect all-optical attosecond measurement schemes with quantum optics, allowing for a rich manifold of observations.

Matan Even Tzur, Chen Mor, Noa Yaffe +8 more

The generation and control of extreme ultraviolet (XUV) radiation by high harmonic generation (HHG) have advanced ultrafast science, providing direct insights into electron dynamics on their natural time scale. Attosecond science has established the capability to resolve ultrafast quantum phenomena in matter by characterizing and controlling the classical properties of the high harmonics. Recent theoretical proposals have introduced novel schemes for generating and manipulating XUV HHG with distinct quantum features, paving the way to attosecond quantum optics. In this work, we transfer fundamental concepts in quantum optics into attosecond science. By driving the HHG process with a combination of an infrared bright squeezed vacuum (BSV, a non-classical state of light), and a strong coherent field, we imprint the quantum correlations of the input BSV onto both the ultrafast electron wavefunction and the harmonics' field. Performing in-situ HHG interferometry provides an insight into the underlying sub-cycle dynamics, revealing squeezing in the statistical properties of one of the most fundamental strong-field phenomena -- field induced tunneling. Our measurement allows the reconstruction of the quantum state of the harmonics through homodyne-like tomography, resolving correlated fluctuations in the harmonic field that mirror those of the input BSV. By controlling the delay between the two driving fields, we manipulate the photon statistics of the emitted attosecond pulses with sub-cycle accuracy. The ability to measure and control quantum correlations in both electrons and XUV attosecond pulses establishes a foundation for attosecond electrodynamics, manipulating the quantum state of electrons and photons with sub-cycle precision.

Robert W. Boyd, Svetlana G. Lukishova, Victor N. Zadkov