0000000000213193
AUTHOR
Dimitris Charalambidis
Quantum Control in Atomic Systems
We review a series of recent experiments demonstrating quantum control of atomic processes and products induced by the interaction of the atom with coherent bichromatic electromagnetic fields. Since the effects under consideration are electromagnetically induced, control is established through the field parameters i.e. frequency, amplitude and phase. The controlled processes include resonant and non resonant multiphoton ionization, autoionization, radiative decay in multiple continua (ionization branching ratios) and third harmonic generation.
Observation of laser-induced continuum structure in the NO molecule
0953-4075; We present experimental results on the modification of a molecular ionization continuum through a laser-induced continuum structure. The effect is demonstrated in nitric oxide where the resonant 2 + 1 multiphoton-ionization process of the X (2)Pi(3/2) electronic ground state is modified by dressing the continuum with the electromagnetically embedded M(2)Sigma(+) Rydberg state. Through selection of a two-photon rovibronic transition via the D electronic state, a single rotational ground state level is excited to the continuum with one laser field. By adding an extra dressing field, a coupling is then established between this three-photon excited ground state level and one of the M…
Observation of field phase dependent autoionization
We report on the observation of a field phase dependent autoionization rate of calcium in the region of the doubly excited state. Excitation of the autoionizing state occurs from the atomic ground state through two phase related and hence interfering channels, namely a three photon channel and a single photon channel , being the third harmonic of . The autoionization rate exhibits a sinusoidal modulation as a function of the relative phase of the two excitation fields. Both ionizing fields are not focused in the interaction region, thus demonstrating the possibility of phase control in a large interaction volume and free of phase shift effects associated with focused geometries.