Laser-driven nonlinear cluster dynamics

Abstract

Laser excitation of nanometer-sized atomic and molecular clusters offers various opportunities to explore and control ultrafast many-particle dynamics. Whereas weak laser fields allow the analysis of photoionization, excited-state relaxation, and structural modifications on these finite quantum systems, large-amplitude collective electron motion and Coulomb explosion can be induced with intense laser pulses. This review provides an overview of key phenomena arising from laser-cluster interactions with focus on nonlinear optical excitations and discusses the underlying processes according to the current understanding. A brief general survey covers basic cluster properties and excitation mechanisms relevant for laser-driven cluster dynamics. Then, after an excursion in theoretical and experimental methods, results for single- and multiphoton excitations are reviewed with emphasis on signatures from time- and angular resolved photoemission. A key issue of this review is the broad spectrum of phenomena arising from clusters exposed to strong fields, where the interaction with the laser pulse creates short-lived and dense nanoplasmas. The implications for technical developments include the controlled generation of ion, electron, and radiation pulses, as will be addressed along with corresponding examples. Finally, future prospects of laser-cluster research as well as experimental and theoretical challenges are discussed.

text and figures revised

References in corpus (16)

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• Atomic excitation during recollision-free ultrafast multi-electron tunnel ionization
• Relativistic Attosecond Electron Bunches from Laser-Illuminated Droplets
• Ionization and charge migration through strong internal fields in clusters exposed to intense X-ray pulses
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• Laser-cluster interaction: x-ray production by short laser pulses
• Energy absorption of xenon clusters in helium nanodroplets under strong laser pulses
• Kinetics of the collisionless expansion of spherical nanoplasmas
• Harmonic emission from cluster nanoplasmas subject to intense short laser pulses
• Rescattering for extended atomic systems
• Effect of pulse duration on the x-ray emission from Ar clusters in intense laser fields
• Dynamics and control of the expansion of finite-size plasmas produced in ultraintense laser-matter interactions
• Laser-Cluster-Interaction in a Nanoplasma-Model with Inclusion of Lowered Ionization Energies
• Optimal Control of the Strong-Field Ionization of Silver Clusters in Helium Droplets
• Hindered Coulomb explosion of embedded Na clusters -- stopping, shape dynamics and energy transport
• Structural properties and optical response of Na clusters in Ne, Ar, and Kr matrices

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