Eur. Phys. J. D 51, 289-294 (2009)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2009-00018-8

On the population dynamics induced by an attosecond train interacting coherently with an atomic system within the electric dipole approximation

¹ Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, PO Box 1385, 71110 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
² Department of Physics, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, 71003 Heraklion, Crete, Greece

Corresponding author: ^a peralta@iesl.forth.gr

Received: 30 June 2008
Revised: 16 September 2008
Published online: 29 January 2009

Abstract

The population dynamics induced in an atomic system by XUV-attosecond radiation have been investigated within the electric dipole approximation. The main characteristics of the dynamics are explained in simple terms, extending our previous work on coherent laser-atom interactions in the XUV spectral region. Attosecond beating appearing in a second-order autocorrelation of a coherent superposition of high order harmonics, is investigated from the perspective of a superposition of Rabi oscillations, as well as of coherent population return (CPR). The work reveals the strength of attosecond radiation as a tool for time domain studies of coherent manipulations of quantum systems.