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Atomic and molecular interactions with photons is the study of the way in which the basic elements of matter interact with packets of electromagnetic energy. This interaction is determined largely by the electronic structure of atoms and molecules; photon absorption or emission is associated with an electron moving from one energy level to another.
Discrete-time crystal (DTC) is a special phase of matter that exhibits a spontaneous breaking of the discrete time translational symmetry. Here, Bang Liu et al. demonstrate an experimental approach to observe higher-order and fractional DTCs in Floquet-driven Rydberg atomic gases.
Single photoionisation can align an atomic electron cloud, yet it is unexplored how the alignment evolves during sequential multi-photon multiple ionisation induced by intense X-ray pulses. In their paper, the authors predict the existence of non-trivial electron-cloud alignment dynamics in quantum-state-resolved X-ray multi-photon ionisation.
For pulse bandwidth larger than the energy gap between molecular orbitals, distinguishing contributions of electrons photoionized from different orbitals is a major hurdle. Here, the authors mitigate this issue by rotating light with respect to the molecular axis and show that asymmetric spirals are a new source of information for molecular orbital symmetries.
This study explores Above Threshold Ionization in atoms induced by intense X-ray radiation fields, where photon energy surpasses the ionization potential of valence electrons. The authors demonstrate that both the Keldysh and Reiss parameters are essential to capture the onset of strong-field behavior, revealing deviations from weak-field intensity scaling at higher X-ray intensities.
Current methods for directly cooling atomic gases to quantum degeneracy involve time-consuming steps. A method based on electromagnetically induced transparency now achieves quantum degeneracy with a notable reduction in preparation time.
XFELs can drive multicore-ionization/excitation processes in the fs timescale of typical core-hole lifetimes in molecules. This paper reports experimental evidence of a single XFEL-pulse-driven resonant double-core excitation mechanism, producing a neutral two-site double-core-hole state in the nitrogen molecule.
An atom interferometer now maintains a spatial superposition state for 70 seconds, compared to few seconds in freely falling systems. This could improve measurements of the strength of gravitational fields and quantum gravity studies.
Interacting emitters are the fundamental building blocks of quantum optics and quantum information devices. Pairs of organic molecules embedded in a crystal can become permanently strongly interacting when they are pumped with intense laser light.
Precise frequencies of nearly forbidden transitions have been ascertained in the simplest molecule, the molecular hydrogen ion. This work offers a new perspective on precision measurements and fundamental physical tests with molecular spectroscopy.
A promising pathway towards the laser cooling of a molecule containing a radioactive atom has been identified. The unique structure of such a molecule means that it can act as a magnifying lens to probe fundamental physics.
Laser cooling of neutral and positively charged ions is well mastered, but cooling of anions remains largely unexplored. Now, laser-induced evaporative cooling of negatively charged molecules has been achieved.
