Attoscience in Phase Space

TL;DR

This paper reviews phase space techniques in strong-field and attosecond science, illustrating their application to ionisation, high-harmonic generation, and laser-matter interactions, emphasizing classical-quantum correspondence and bifurcations.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of phase space methods in attoscience and demonstrates their use in analyzing complex ionisation and harmonic generation dynamics.

Findings

Phase space tools reveal bifurcations affecting ionisation and harmonic generation.

Classical-quantum correspondence varies across regimes.

Different time scales influence strong-field dynamics.

Abstract

We provide a brief review of how phase space techniques are explored within strong-field and attosecond science. This includes a broad overview of the existing landscape, with focus on strong-field ionisation and rescattering, high-order harmonic generation, stabilisation and free-electron lasers. Furthermore, using our work on the subject, which deals with ionisation dynamics in atoms and diatomic molecules as well as high-order harmonic generation in inhomogeneous fields, we exemplify how such tools can be employed. One may for instance determine qualitatively different phase space dynamics, explore how bifurcations influence ionisation and high-harmonic generation, establish for which regimes classical and quantum correspondence works or fails, and what role different time scales play. Finally, we conclude the review highlighting the importance of the tools available in quantum optics, quantum information and physical chemistry to strong-field laser-matter interaction.