Seal element of the university of freiburg in the shape of a clover

Projects

Phase-modulated generation of high harmonics

Logo: DFG - Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Start/End of Project: 01.11.2019 – 31.10.2022

Funded by the DFG.

Coherent nonlinear spectroscopy is a very powerful tool for studying the ultrafast dynamics and structure of complex quantum systems. It is readily used throughout the whole infrared and visible spectrum. The main goal of this project is the demonstration of coherent spectroscopy techniques in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) wavelengths (10-200 nm). In this energy range, well-established techniques, such as phase modulation, cannot be directly applied, due to the lack of suitable materials, which can modulate the phase of amplitude of the XUV pulses. To overcome this problem, we will combine phase-modulated femtosecond pulses in the visible and near infrared domain will be used as driving source for the process of of high-order harmonic generation in gases. Using this approach, the phase modulation will be transferred to the harmonic in the XUV spectral range, thus enabling the implementation of coherent spectroscopy techniques also in this novel range.
The project will exploit the complementary expertise and synergies between the groups of Prof. Stienkemeier (coherent spectroscopy) and Prof. Sansone (high-order harmonic generation and attosecond spectroscopy).

Investigation of correlated electronic dynamics with attosecond pulses

Logo: BMBF - Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung

Start/End of Project: 01.07.2019 – 30.06.2022

Funded by the BMBF.

During the last year, the Extreme Light Infrastructure Attosecond Light Pulse Source (ELI-ALPS) has started operation in Szeged Hungary. Intense trains and isolated attosecond pulses will be generated by high-order harmonic generation using unique laser sources.
In the BMBF project “Investigation of correlated electronic dynamics by nonlinear attosecond spectroscopy” (NONLINEARATTO), we propose to develop a system for the investigation of correlated electronic dynamics by nonlinear extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy at ELI-ALPS. The experiments performed in Hungary in the extreme ultraviolet range will complement those that will be run at the free electron lasers facility FLASH and XFEL in the soft X-ray. At the same time the results could deliver information on the characteristics of the extreme ultraviolet pulses (for example pulse duration, spectral bandwidth) required for the development of coherent spectroscopy technique at free electron lasers. The first experiment will focus on simple systems such as helium and molecular hydrogen.

Molecular Electron Dynamics Investigated by Intense Fields and Attosecond pulses (MEDEA)

Logo: Medea - Molecular Electron Dynamics Investigated by Intense Fields and Attosecond Pulses

Project Manager: Prof. G. Sansone
Start/End of project: 01.01.2015 to 31.12.2018
Link: http://www.medea-horizon2020.eu/

This project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Marie Sklodowska Curie Grant Agreement No. 641789 MEDEA.

Two early-stage researchers, Praveen Kumar and Matteo Moioli, have been involved in the last two years in the project MEDEA. Praveen is currently working on the analysis of results obtained during an experimental campaign at the Free Electron Laser FERMI in December 2017, where, for the first time, the generation of trains of attosecond pulses by a Free Electron Laser was demonstrated.

Matteo is working on the development of an optical parametric amplifier operating at high-repetition rate (100 kHz) for the generation of few-cycle pulses, carrier-envelope-phase stable pulses. The source will be later on used as driving for the high-repetition rate attosecond beamline already installed in our laboratories.

Quantum Dynamics in Tailored Intense Fields (QUTIF) DFG Priority Programme 1840

Cold Controlled Ensembles in Physics and Chemistry  DFG funded International Research Trainin Group (IRTG 2079)