Regensburg 2016 – scientific programme
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O: Fachverband Oberflächenphysik
O 35: Ultrafast Phenomena I
O 35.1: Talk
Tuesday, March 8, 2016, 09:30–09:45, H10
Sub-cycle quantum interference in solid-state high-harmonic generation — •Matthias Hohenleutner1, Fabian Langer1, Olaf Schubert1, Matthias Knorr1, Christoph Lange1, Ulrich Huttner2, Stephan W. Koch2, Mackillo Kira2, and Rupert Huber1 — 1University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany — 2University of Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany
Utilizing intense light pulses to control electron motion in atoms and molecules has opened up spectacular new routes in ultrafast and attosecond photonics such as high-harmonic generation (HHG). The recent discovery of HHG in solids combines ultrafast quantum control with complex condensed matter systems. We employ intense, phase-controlled multi-THz waveforms to drive HHG in bulk gallium selenide. Non-resonantly driven interband polarization and simultaneous intraband carrier acceleration throughout the entire Brillouin zone result in the emission of extremely broadband, phase-locked high-harmonics (HH). More importantly yet, sub-cycle time- and field-resolution allows us to directly trace the underlying electron dynamics with precise temporal correlation to the driving waveform. Remarkably, the HH are emitted as a unipolar train of ultrashort, nearly unchirped few-femtosecond bursts, which coincide precisely with the driving field maxima. These features unravel a novel quantum interference of multiple interband excitation paths during HHG, as explained by our microscopic quantum theory. The first direct time domain study of HH from solids paves the way towards a full quantum picture of the underlying mechanisms and sparks hope for solid-state sub-femtosecond sources.