Strong-field Driven Sub-cycle Band Structure Modulation and Dephasing Control

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Walz, Francis, Kumar, Shashank, Olounabadi, Amirali Sharifi, Zhong, Yuyan, Zimmerman, Russell, Pandey, Siddhant, Liu, Eric, Tan, Liang Z., Shivaram, Niranjan
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Walz, Francis
Kumar, Shashank
Olounabadi, Amirali Sharifi
Zhong, Yuyan
Zimmerman, Russell
Pandey, Siddhant
Liu, Eric
Tan, Liang Z.
Shivaram, Niranjan
author_facet Walz, Francis
Kumar, Shashank
Olounabadi, Amirali Sharifi
Zhong, Yuyan
Zimmerman, Russell
Pandey, Siddhant
Liu, Eric
Tan, Liang Z.
Shivaram, Niranjan
contents Over the past decade, ultrafast electron dynamics in the solid state have been extensively studied using various strong light-matter interaction techniques, such as high-harmonic generation. These studies lead to multiple interpretations of light-matter interaction in the strong-field regime, with exact mechanisms not yet fully understood. It is well known that strong-field interaction with a crystalline solid leads to significant modification of its band structure and, hence, its optical properties on ultrafast timescales. In this work, we present measurements of ultrafast electric-field observables in magnesium oxide using a non-resonant nonlinear optical interaction. Using field observables, we show that strong laser fields modulate the band structure on sub-cycle timescales, thereby altering the material's nonlinear optical response. We perform time-dependent perturbation theory calculations using a field-dependent dispersion relation and non-perturbative semiconductor Bloch equation calculations, both of which agree with experimental observations. Furthermore, we directly extract dephasing times from the real-time signal electric field envelope and show sub-cycle control of dephasing times. Our work offers a new perspective on strong-field-driven electron dynamics in solids through electric-field observables. The demonstrated attosecond modulation of the nonlinear response could have important implications for quantum light generation and quantum spectroscopy using nonlinear optical processes.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_16651
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Strong-field Driven Sub-cycle Band Structure Modulation and Dephasing Control
Walz, Francis
Kumar, Shashank
Olounabadi, Amirali Sharifi
Zhong, Yuyan
Zimmerman, Russell
Pandey, Siddhant
Liu, Eric
Tan, Liang Z.
Shivaram, Niranjan
Optics
Quantum Physics
Over the past decade, ultrafast electron dynamics in the solid state have been extensively studied using various strong light-matter interaction techniques, such as high-harmonic generation. These studies lead to multiple interpretations of light-matter interaction in the strong-field regime, with exact mechanisms not yet fully understood. It is well known that strong-field interaction with a crystalline solid leads to significant modification of its band structure and, hence, its optical properties on ultrafast timescales. In this work, we present measurements of ultrafast electric-field observables in magnesium oxide using a non-resonant nonlinear optical interaction. Using field observables, we show that strong laser fields modulate the band structure on sub-cycle timescales, thereby altering the material's nonlinear optical response. We perform time-dependent perturbation theory calculations using a field-dependent dispersion relation and non-perturbative semiconductor Bloch equation calculations, both of which agree with experimental observations. Furthermore, we directly extract dephasing times from the real-time signal electric field envelope and show sub-cycle control of dephasing times. Our work offers a new perspective on strong-field-driven electron dynamics in solids through electric-field observables. The demonstrated attosecond modulation of the nonlinear response could have important implications for quantum light generation and quantum spectroscopy using nonlinear optical processes.
title Strong-field Driven Sub-cycle Band Structure Modulation and Dephasing Control
topic Optics
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.16651