Work

Cross-Process Interference in Single-Cycle Electron Emission from Metal Needle Tips

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Though interference from different emission channels enabled a deeper understanding of strong-field photoemission in atoms and molecules, it remained out of reach for solids. Here, we explore metal needle tips under single-cycle pulses via classical trajectories extended by quantum interference and numerical solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. We find interference of direct and backscattered electrons with fringe pattern encoding subcycle information on birth times and near-field driven acceleration dynamics, opening routes for ultrafast solid-state metrology.

Source: Physical Review Letters

DOI: 10.1103/n482-q85k

Authors: Anne Herzig, Peter Hommelhoff, Eleftherios Goulielmakis, Thomas Fennel, Lennart Seiffert

Institutions: University of Rostock, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Language: English

Topic: Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,750

Funder: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft