Phys.org April 16, 2018
An international team of researchers (Switzerland, Germany, Spain) controlled the shape of the laser pulse to keep an electron both free and bound to its nucleus and regulate the electronic structure of the atom. They made these unusual states amplify laser light and identified a no-go area, nicknamed “Death Valley,” where they lost all their power over the electron. These results shatter the usual concepts related to the ionisation of matter. The discovery gives the option of creating new atoms dressed by the field of the laser, with new electron energy levels. This will play a fundamental role in the theories and predictions on the propagation of intense lasers in gases, such as air… read more. Open Source TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Schematic illustration of the Kramers Henneberger potential formed by a mixture of the atomic potential and a strong laser field. Credit: UNIGE – Xavier Ravinet