Numerical simulation of photoionization of atoms and attosecond laser pulses

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Citations

Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/00000064j

Abstract

With appropriate filters, high harmonic generation (HHG) can produce X-ray pulses on the attosecond time scale. We formulate a procedure to minimize pulse duration in various energy regimes and predict photoionization rates for a number of noble gases. Bridging the gap between the theory of high harmonic generation and the experimental reality, we seek to support the production of tabletop X-ray sources able to probe electron dynamics in inner shells. This thesis builds on the work of other researchers in the Ultrafast AMO Theory group, including a novel analytic fitting to noble gas potentials, and predictions of the energy spectrum and phases obtained by high harmonic generation. Specifically, computational methods (including Crank-Nicolson) and the single active electron model allow for the solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation and calculation of photoionization probabilities, while numerical Fourier transforms enable rapid analysis of filtered HHG spectra.

Creator