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High-harmonic generation from a gas target exhibits sharp spectral features and rapid phase variation near the Cooper minimum. By applying spectral filtering, shaped isolated attosecond pulses can be generated where the pulse is split into two in the time domain. Using such shaped extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) pulses, we theoretically study attosecond transient absorption (ATA) spectra of helium 2s2p autoionizing state which is resonantly coupled to the 2s² dark state by a time-delayed infrared laser. Our simulations show that the asymmetric 2s2p Fano line shape can be readily tuned into symmetric Lorentzian within the time delay of a few tens of attoseconds. Such efficient control is due to the destructive interference in the generation of the 2s2p state when it is excited by a strongly shaped XUV pulse. This is to be compared to prior experiments where tuning the line shape of a Fano resonance would take tens of femtoseconds. We also show that the predicted ATA spectral line shape can be observed experimentally after propagation in a gas medium. Our results suggest that strongly shaped attosecond XUV pulses offer the opportunity for controlling and probing fine features of narrow resonances on the few-ten attoseconds timescale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the attosecond transient absorption (ATA) spectrum below the excited states of the helium atom was investigated by numerically solving the fully three-dimensional time-dependent Schrödinger equation. Under single-active electron approximation, the helium atom was illuminated by a combined field comprising of extreme ultraviolet (XUV) and delayed infrared (IR) fields. The response function demonstrates that the absorption near the central frequency ( ω X ) of the XUV field is periodically modulated during the overlapping between the XUV and IR pulses. Using the time-dependent perturbation, the absorption near ω X is attributed to the wavepacket excited by the XUV pulse. The wave function oscillating at the frequency of the XUV pulse was obtained. Furthermore, the chirp-dependent absorption spectrum near ω X potentially provides an all-optical method for characterizing the attosecond pulse duration. Finally, these results can extend to other systems, such as solids or liquids, indicating a potential for application in photonic devices, and they may be meaningful for quantum manipulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the theory and simulation of attosecond transient absorption in helium atoms under the single-active-electron approximation. This study investigates the attosecond dynamics of intrinsic atomic states that interact with a field comprising vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and extreme ultraviolet (XUV) fields. The absorption spectrum of the helium atom is obtained from the response function, which is constructed by numerically solving the three-dimensional time-dependent Schrödinger equation. We observe a fine structure near the intrinsic atomic level, which is modulated with a 0.2 fs period. Based on high-order time-dependent perturbation theory, the frequency-dependent phase of the dipole response induced by the VUV and XUV fields is analytically obtained, and the fine structure is well explained by the phase difference. In addition, the absorption fringes are dependent on the chirp of the VUV field. This study investigates the features of the attosecond transient absorption in the VUV region, which may have valuable applications in the study of ultrafast phenomena in atoms, molecules, and solids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The chemical properties of atoms, molecules and of more complex systems such as clusters, nanoparticles or condensed matter systems are determined by valence electrons. Real-time control of these properties requires the capability of tracing as well as of driving valence electrons on their native temporal scale of motion, that is, within tens to thousands of attoseconds. Here we detail the technique of attosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. It combines the extreme sensitivity of core-level spectroscopy with the unprecedented temporal resolution offered by the tools of attosecond technology. We use the technique to demonstrate real-time tracing and complete characterization of coherent electron motion triggered by single, double or multiple ionization of atoms exposed to intense, few-cycle pulses. Our work opens the door to high fidelity, time-domain studies and control of electron dynamics in the microcosm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]