Quantum light drives electrons strongly at metal needle tips.

ABSTRACT: Attosecond science relies on driving photoemitted electrons with the strong optical field of a laser pulse, which represents an intense classical coherent state of light. Bright squeezed vacuum is a quantum state of light that is also intense enough to drive strong-field physics. However, its mean optical electric field is zero, suggesting that, in a semi-classical view, electrons should not experience strong driving. The question arises if and how this quantum state of light can generate signatures of attosecond dynamics in strong-field photoemission. Here we show that the key signatures of strong-field physics-the high energy plateau and subsequent cut-off-also appear under driving of a needle tip by bright squeezed vacuum, but only when we post-select electron energy spectra on the indi

SUBMITTER: Heimerl J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12695628 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature