The carrier-envelope phase (CEP) is the offset between the peak of the carrier wave and the peak of the envelope in an ultrashort laser pulse, crucial for determining the pulse’s electric field structure. Precise control of CEP is essential in applications like attosecond pulse generation and high-harmonic generation, where the exact electric field influences the interaction with matter.

Carrier-envelope Phase

Ultrashort laser pulse

Pulse’s electric field structure

Precise control of CEP

Attosecond pulse generation is a cutting-edge technique in ultrafast optics that allows scientists to observe and manipulate electron dynamics in atoms and molecules on the timescale of attoseconds (10^-18 seconds). This technology is crucial for advancing our understanding of fundamental processes in physics and chemistry, such as electron correlation and quantum control of chemical reactions.

Attosecond Pulse Generation

High-harmonic generation (HHG) is a nonlinear optical process in which intense laser fields interact with a medium, typically a gas, to produce high-frequency harmonics of the original laser light. This phenomenon is pivotal for generating attosecond pulses, enabling the exploration of ultrafast electronic dynamics in atoms, molecules, and solids.

High-harmonic Generation

An electric field is a vector field around a charged particle that represents the force exerted on other charges placed within the field. The strength and direction of the electric field are determined by the magnitude and sign of the charge, as well as the distance from the charge.

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